Your lips are Mine
by Mersea
Summary: ItachiOC "I'm...starting to lose my temper." He reached up and touched the corner of his lower lip where she bit him. His red eyes narrowed ominously. 'She-...sometimes makes me feel alive.' COMPLETE!
1. These wings are mine

A/N: At this point I've only gotten to around **chapter 300 of the manga; spoilers!** (he looks better in the manga :D) so I'll be branching off from here, and am also trying to keep with the real storyline. In other words, don't laugh at me for being completely off…

Itachi x Original Character. Itachi ish teh love.

Mention of Sakura x Naruto

Warning: If you missed it on the summary, this is a –ahem- MATURE fic. If you're under 15…better not read unless your mind's already been corrupted haha.

Updates: Somewhat random, I'm juggling exams and another fanfic.

For all you Itachi fans out there.

* * *

Chapter 1 –"These wings are mine"

She's been observing her for some time, now, always from the shades under the rooftops. She wasn't delusional enough to believe that no one would notice her stalking the same girl, albeit loosely, for three weeks straight, but the heat of the sun pressed down over the hidden village of the leaf, Konoha during its dry summer months. So it wasn't strange, really, to pay no heed to the fellow Leaf lazily eyeing you from the top of a nearby building.

Of course, she had taken the precaution to change her outward appearance now and then.

"Today's the day," she whispered melodically into the stirring wall of heat. Not even a breeze to carry on her words. God, she loved this place. No one can sneak up behind her in this suffocating stillness. Or at least she thought not, and she wasn't one known to be overconfident. As a rookie seal-stealer, she'd survived the merciless entrance exam required to become one of the Lost Village of the Night. And had always been on her guard ever since. Paranoid.

She watched as the blond haired girl departed from her friends, laughing and flicking a strand of her long hair away from her eyes. Oh, to be so carefree, to feel protected and secure. Absentmindedly, she brandished a kunai kept underneath her each of her bracers, idly spinning it up and catching it with one hand, loving the sense of security it restored to her.

It as a nervous habit she still needed to do away with.

Life as a missing-nin sure wasn't a stroll in the park.

But it was going to get better. She grinned evilly. Yamanaka Ino's Shinranshin no Jutsu. She wanted it. She should be able to mimic the girl's behavior by now. Standing up, she passed her hands over her body and quickly performed some seals with expertise, directing her charka to morph herself into a small girl with a large ugly bruise on one bare knee. These large countries took pride in their head protectors; she would fake a fall and ask to touch Ino's head protector when she comes to help her up. As soon as her heads reach the girl's temples, however, it's over.

"Hehehe, too easy," she commented to no one in particular and vanished from where she stood.

* * *

"…It seems the kyuubi and his team has left on a mission a day since. This is a perfect time to carry out our plan, Kisame."

"I hear ya. I guess using your eyes to gather so much info tired you out, eh?" The shark man rose up from his crouch and heaved his giant blade over his shoulder effortlessly. "Leave it up to me." He turned towards the village before he sensed his partner had something else to add to that.

"…There is a girl to whom the kyuubi's teammate, Sakura, is attached to. Through this personal attachment we will have our stepping stones to Naruto." Itachi closed his eyes. "I have seen a vision of this girl through the minds of the ones I have interrogated." His crimson eyes opened slowly, giving Kisame ample time to avoid what was coming, but he trusted his partner enough to know Itachi meant him no harm.

The figure of a girl appeared before them, tall, blond, moderately attractive. Kisame grinned to himself at the fact that his partner would rather perform a simple genjutsu instead of transforming into a female. Already Itachi's breath was getting shorter from overexertion from the day's efforts. Kisame shook his head.

"I still don't know why we have to be so secretive if we want the kyuubi to know that we've kidnapped someone close to his friend. Don't we want witnesses?"

The illusion melted away, but Itachi's dark red eyes remained fixed onto him. It was the shorter man's habit to pause and stare whenever questioned, an intimidation to any outsiders, but Kisame was used to any habits Itachi sustained by then.

"…When we appear before them, it will be a lot faster if they are unprepared," Itachi explained. Itachi wasn't one to elaborate on details unless he volunteered on his own, so Kisame took it as a signal that the conversation had ended.

"Alright then. Point me in the right direction."

---

Some fifteen minutes later he stood on the highest roof he could find overlooking the clan area which Itachi pointed him in, disguised as a random Leaf passing out of the village who he knocked out easily. Big mansions surrounded him on all sides, fancy ones with well kept terraces and private gardens. The one he was currently standing on top of had an enormous outdoor pool right on the roof. It was going to be a pain finding out which one his target lives in, and he'd better do so before he could hold his disguise no longer.

Just as he was pondering this problem something unexpected happened. He felt the approach of another ninja a split second before someone landed on the opposite side of the same roof, keeping low to the floor. The ninja seemed to notice him at the same time and swore under her breath – for it was a female voice. Next thing he knew, a flock of needles came shooting at him full speed. In one rapid movement, Kisame dispelled his disguise and smacked the pitiful things away with one swing of his sword. "That was rude," he growled.

The female ninja hesitated in surprise, blue-gray eyes widening slightly. He had time to register the fact that she looked exactly like the image of the girl Itachi had shown him before the girl took out a small leather pouch with the opening loosened, drew in a deep breath, and released chakra to blast a swirling vortex of powder towards him.

On a normal Chuunin it might've worked, but he was no amateur. Heaving his sword back over his shoulder, Kisame brought down the blade down at the air before him. The force of the swing cut through the air and split away the girl's powder. She tsched, adjusting the large scroll strapped to her back before forming some seals with her hands. "Eat this!" Again she drew in a deep breath and braced herself. Before he could even blink, she breathed out a powerful torrent of wind which even pushed him – a master of chakra control – backwards when he sent his chakra to his feet to stick to the roof.

"You don't have to be so hospitable," Kisame grunted irritably, free hand performing some seals of his own. "Here's my gift." He released his jutsu, directing a large blast of water from the pool next to them, which overpowered his opponent's wind attack. She didn't even have time to inhale air back into her lungs before his water jutsu crashed into her and sent her over the edge of the roof along with it, breaking off chunks of stone as it went.

He came to the edge of the roof in time to see her execute a back flip in mid-air so that she'll land feet first, while choking and coughing water back up.

"There she is! Don't let her get away!"

Kisame turned to look in the direction from which the shouts rose, and saw several Leaf ninjas coming their way.

"Stop! What do you think you're doing?"

He saw the girl frown and tossed her head, transforming instantly into a girl with long black hair and a different set of clothing. She tore her gaze from the approaching Leafs and glared up at him before deciding to retreat. At the same time more shouts went up.

"Up there! Who is th-?" "Idiot, she has the scroll! Go after her!"

So she stole something of her own clan, did she? And she just turned herself into someone else so no one will recognize her. Interesting.

"Heh." Kisame brought his hands together in a seal and conjured up five water clones from the pool. No one escapes from him that easily. With one leap, he and his clones intercepted the Leaf ninjas going after his target.

"Sorry, gentlemen, that girl's coming with me." While a few of them hesitated in confronting him – for he was a well known criminal listed in the book – the rest took their chances in charging at him with weapons drawn. None of them were fast enough to match his speed; they were at most middle-rank ninjas unprepared to meet a member of the Akatsuki. He and his clones knocked the whole fifteen of them effortlessly with his giant sword, their kunai and shuriken useless on him, keeping in mind Itachi's unsaid warning to not make a mess.

"Now then…" He directed his attention to the way the girl had gone.

She couldn't have gone too far ahead. Kisame gave chase. It was broad daylight, anyone on a mad dash would be suspicious, and so the girl would've taken precaution to avoid being suspected. As he darted zigzag through the resident road, he saw that there really weren't many people outside, preferring to stay indoors of their mansions in this savage heat. Makes his job easier.

He was searching for any signs of movement up ahead when he felt things come shooting towards him. Kisame ducked just as four consecutive kunai rained down at him and his clones. Three were dodged. He had time to take in the explosive tag stuck on them before the forth one struck one of his water clones, and as it dispersed, an eruption of a fine cloud of powder enveloped the space around him. He held his breath instinctively, spreading out with his clones to avoid getting targeted at once.

"Tsch. I thought you'd follow me," the girl's voice sounded from above him. He turned to see her staring down at him from the top of tall, ancient tree by the side of the road. He saw her raise one eyebrow questioningly. "If I apologize for attacking you earlier, would you stop following me?" she asked with nothing but curiosity evident in her voice.

"What makes you think I'll let a scroll thief like you get away?" Kisame growled in response. Actually, it was one of his four remaining clones which spoke. As if he'll give away his true body that easily, but nice try.

She shrugged haphazardly, even closing her jade green eyes for a moment. "You took out the other pursuers," she pointed out in her delicate, matte voice.

"Because I'll be capturing you, myself," he replied, grinning bloodthirstily as he and his clones readied their swords.

"I see." She performed some seals with one hand and concentrated hard, dividing into five identical selves. So she could manage more than three clones as well, interesting. "Sorry for the wait. Please," the real body gestured for him to come at her. How amusing.

"Since you asked so nicely." He and his clones clapped his hands together; each inhaled and exhaled a blast of water at his opponent. The girl and her clones leapt out of the tree in different directions as his jutsu blew off everything above the middle of trunk. "I can summon water without a pool, you know," he added as an after word.

"Now I know," she admitted easily from right behind him. Kisame side stepped as her senbon needles struck the air where he had been a moment before.

"What the- How did you know which one's me?" He exclaimed as he swung his blade at her, which she neatly avoided by throwing her upper body back. It was in theory a five-on-five battle, but there was a slight pause in all her manifestations before they all turned to him.

"Lucky guess," she admitted, but before she could do anything more, she stopped dead in her tracks. A second later she dispersed, along with her 3 other clones.

"What? Shit," the real body of the girl swore, looking back over her shoulder.

"You fell for it," Kisame grinned. "I'm the real one." She frowned, a bit nervously, as all of his clones closed in on her, her green eyes sizing up her situation. "You thought I didn't keep track of which one's the real you after destroying that tree, did ya? My, you must be a beginner." Her right eye twitched, but other than that she remained completely still, no doubt calculating her options.

"That's right, my sword eats up chakra. What can you do now?"

"Not all my chakra," the girl replied slowly, her eyes traveling equally slow from one clone to the other.

"Just enough to knock yourself out if you push any harder," Kisame agreed.

"I see."

"The wise thing to do is to come with me quietly."

"Of course."

He barely had time to form a scowl before the girl rammed her fist in the clone right next to her, annihilating it. He reacted simultaneously, with him and his remaining clones lunging at her with their swords. She countered by punching downwards towards the ground and drawing enough chakra to conjure up a mini typhoon, hurling him backwards several feet against another tree, and he had to use his arms to shield his eyes from the dust and sand from the ground. His clones struck hard into walls and dispersed from the impact. It was enough to allow her a chance to escape.

"What the-?" Kisame growled, having received his second surprise of the day. He didn't like surprises. Not from elusive little brats. How the hell did she just do something like that without any chakra left? That's it. No more holding back.

Two leaps and he stood atop a nearby building, scanning the area. People were moving in to check on the commotion. He crouched down to avoid being seen, observing them suspiciously. One of them was seemingly uninterested in what was happening, keeping behind the rest, and instead her eyes wandered around, above, to the sides, searching. Heh. Kisame drew in a breath and blew out another blast of water, right at the girl. She dispersed. A clone, of course. He had to give her some credit for thinking ahead.

Shouts ran out from the attacked crowd. He looked up in time to see a figure escape over some rooftops. He went after her, ignoring the rest. Damned girl, Itachi was not going to be happy for him to have let himself being seen.

She knew he was still on her trail. She even glanced back over her shoulder. Despite having the lead, Kisame was faster, plus he had more chakra to spare. She stopped abruptly as he suddenly appeared before her, blocking her path. "Man, you are annoying," he growled, bringing his hand back to club her on the side of her head. She was knocked back, but right away puffed out into thin air. Another clone. Just how much chakra did she have left?

"You are persistent. I'll return the scroll to you, if you let me leave."

He frowned, spinning around to face her. "Too bad, you're not getting off that easy!" He lifted Samehada from his back and brought it down towards her in neck breaking speed. No way could she dodge that in such a state. The girl lifted her arms and took the blow shakily, but she held. She was keeping up with his strength with chakra. "Not good enough," he declared, bringing his knee up and thrusting it into her chest. She choked, unable to take in air, and her strength collapsed. Without pausing, he elbowed her hard on the top of her head for good measure.

She passed out.

"Jeez, finally," Kisame snorted, kneeling down to check if she was really out of action. "Well then." He leaned down and picked the girl up, heaving her over his shoulder as though she weighed nothing, the scroll still strapped to her back. Might as well leave it on, since she wanted it that bad, it'd probably save his sanity from a lot of whining later.

Itachi was waiting.

Kisame took off towards their arranged meeting place immediately.

---

"…She put up a fight, Kisame?" Itachi asked expressionlessly, eyes flickering over Kisame's robes.

"A bit, she caught me off guard with her fast restoration of chakra, if that's what it was. I could've sworn Samehada drained it all." He scowled and they both looked down at the unconscious girl lying at their feet.

"…This is not the girl," he heard Itachi state as-matter-of-factly.

"Er…you sure? I don't get why she hasn't revert back yet, but she was definitely the girl you showed me before she transformed to avoid being recognized by her clansmen."

Itachi stared down at the girl motionlessly. It was a good thing that he knew Itachi didn't take offense that easily, otherwise it would've been an uncomfortable silence.

"…Her subconscious had been trained to upkeep her transformation, but this is not the girl we are looking for," Itachi spoke after a long moment. Kisame stared blankly at the shorter man, who didn't take his blood red eyes off the unconscious girl.

"What? You mean…she- wait, what do you mean?"

No doubt Itachi was seeing through everything with his intense gaze, his sharingan. "This is not her true form, either," he explained. "She simply took on a different disguise when spotted by those clansmen you mentioned."

"Why would she do that?" Kisame asked incredulously as Itachi leaned down towards her. He didn't reply, which usually meant that it wasn't worth explaining…or in the rare case…that he wasn't sure. Instead, Itachi reached down to brush away locks of her black hair which curtained her headband from view. Of course, his sharingan should've been able to see through any obstacles, which meant Itachi did it for him to see.

Three vertical lines ran parallel down the center of her forehead protector.

* * *

The first thing she became aware of was her breathing. Or rather, the lack of air getting through to her lungs. Then everything came rushing back at once; from her splitting headache, to her scrunched lungs, to the numerous sores she had running up her arms to her shoulder blades. She fought to open her eyes. What happened to put her in such a state of pain?

It all came back.

She bolted upright instantly, up in a crouch, causing a loud _clack _to be heard as she banged her forehead protector against something equally hard. Sharp stabs of pain pricked at her brain from the impact. Damn reflexes.

She went completely still as soon as the blood stopped rushing to her head. Something felt very, very wrong.

Upon opening her eyes she found herself staring up at a hazy image of someone rising up slowly. She squinted, trying to get her eyes readjusted. Next thing she knew, she was looking at a pair of strange, red eyes. She couldn't look away; they were mesmerizing in the frightening way that they seemed to be able to see through her. See through her façade.

"AHAHAHA!" Her attention was thankfully diverted by the form standing back of the red-eyed man. She quickly took up a low defensive stance, despite the way her body protested. It was the…monster man from before, apparently laughing at something he found funny. The man with red eyes tilted his head ever so slightly back towards him, and the interrupter ceased his laughter, though he kept on grinning.

She took stock of herself. Nothing seems to be amusing in any form…and what was that thing she banged her head into anyway? Likely she'll never find out.

Once again, those eerie red eyes were on her, weighing her down. She upheld his gaze with considerable effort. This person…even the man who had defeated her was respectful to him. Her situation wasn't looking too good. Then again, it was due to her being careless with the chakra-draining sword did she lose so quickly. Even though that wasn't an excuse for failure.

She checked her back, motionless, and felt the scroll still attached. Well, that's a good thing.

Alright. Stay calm.

She drew in a slow even breath. "You are not Leaf ninjas, what do you want with me?"

They were missing nins like her. The horizontal slash running through the center of their headbands said as much. She hadn't given it much thought when she'd encountered the first earlier, but for there to be two missing nins right there in front of her then meant that it couldn't be just a coincidence.

"She gets to the point quick, doesn't she?" The gruff voice of the man with the countenance resembling a shark remarked. "What do we do with her, Itachi-san? Can I wound her? Can I?" he asked freely. To which Itachi – or that's she thought he called the man with the eerie red eyes – answered by the way of a meaningful, level look his way.

"But, we don't have any use for her, since she's not the girl…" the other man pointed out. Itachi gave no response.

She glanced from one to the other. Well shit. She had no chakra left, her arms were numb, and there were two of them. How was she going to get out of this one?

"My sisters will avenge me."

They stared at her, one incredulously, the other vacantly.

"Recognize the forehead protector? She's an Amazon. They call each other sisters." It was Itachi who spoke. A shiver ran through her, and it wasn't only due to the sound of his voice. She looked back at him calmly, hoping he didn't see her flinch.

"The Lost Village of the Night, correct?" he continued in his monotonous, venomous voice. "Jutsu thieves. Their disguising techniques are top-notch – has to be top-notch – for doing what they are hired for."

"Tsch. I see I'll need to watch what I say around you, Itachi-sama." One corner of her lips twisted up in an enigmatic smile.

The other man growled warningly. "She assumes we're going to let her live, eh? Man, she's annoying. Can I at least break a limb off her, Itachi-san?"

"No," Itachi replied curtly. He took a step closer, despite being close enough to be intimidating already, so that she had to strain her neck looking up at his eyes. "You know what I expect of you?" he asked coldly, a soft whispering which chilled her down to her core while the heat of the day still raged around her.

She swallowed, her mouth feeling dry as she responded; "Yes. You want to use me. In exchange for letting me live."

"In exchange for your life," he confirmed expressionlessly.

They passed a rather tense moment in silence.

_I guess I'll have to play along. For now._

She got up slowly, taking time to smooth down her lightweight tunic. "My name's Voreka." She forced a pleasant countenance and extended her right hand. Itachi said nothing. The straw hat over his head and the high collar of his cloak shielded his mouth and eyebrows from view. It made it extremely difficult to discern any reaction, if he ever had any to begin with. Without even an acknowledgement, he turned away and started off.

"…friendly…" Voreka muttered to herself. Nonetheless she was relieved to not have to endure those creepy red eyes for the time being.

"Voreka is it?" the other man spoke up, turning her attention to him. He took and shook her hand instead. "Hoshigaki Kisame."

She glowered at him.

He glowered back.

"Kisame," Itachi ordered.

The man named Kisame dropped her hand and took a step back, sizing her up. "I trust you can keep up on your own."

"I will not have you drag me even if my legs are broken," she replied dignifiedly, eyeing him skeptically.

"Good," he scowled. "I'll get to knock you out cold again if you dare try something." At that, he turned towards where Itachi stood waiting patiently, underneath the shades of a tree several yards away.

"Wait," she requested quickly. He turned sideways to her, raising a brow – or at least, if he had more human features, it would be raising an eyebrow.

"What?"

She ignored the hostile tone.

"Can I at least get my belongings from the inn I checked in at?"

Kisame looked to Itachi, who in turn drew his impassive gaze to her. She knew the answer before it came.

"No."

_Tsch. No tolerance at all…_

Things were going to be harder than she initially thought.

"Come." He took off without further ado.

Hmmph.

Beside her, Kisame shrugged, almost apologetically. "Consider yourself lucky you got off easy." He, too, took off in the direction of the other missing nin, no doubt expecting her to follow.

"Oh, but I do," she replied, keeping up with his speed. She tried to keep the half-hearted doubt from her voice.

"I haven't seen anyone catch him off guard for the entire time I've been with him." The shark man laughed, earning him an incredulous look from her. "But you, you rammed him right in the forehead when you came back to reality with a jolt. Haven't they ever taught you to be secretive where you came from?"

Voreka took her time in replying. She was determined not to let her ragged breath show, thanks to him inflicting injuries to her chest. "Oh that, I was under the delusion that I haven't been out more than a few seconds," she explained sarcastically. She reached one hand up to feel for any bleeding. "But that was an unexpectedly hard blow, Kisame-san."

He grinned down at her from the side. "You know what, I think you're okay. So I'll warn you." Kisame nodded front, indicating to the form of the man ahead of them. "Watch your back. You didn't exactly get off on Itachi's good side."

"Agreed."

"…and it would be a very bad idea to attempt an escape…" he added.

"Of course."

He gave her an enigmatic look, recalling what happened earlier when she gave the same response.

"Don't say I haven't warned you, girl," he growled.

She acknowledged his warning with an incline of her head.

"Don't worry about me, Kisame-san," she teased. "I can endure…anything…"

If he searched for a meaning to that, she dropped him no hints. Instead she slipped on a mask of seriousness as she faced front, eyeing the back of the man in front.

She will bear anything. Risk anything. To reach her goal.


	2. Your weakness I'll find

A/N: You'll be glad to know that this is not a mary sue. I assure you. Watch.

* * *

Chapter 2 – "Your weakness I'll find"

They were the Amazons. Their village was founded by female ninjas, ran by female ninjas, and only accepted females.

The Lost Village of the Night functioned as a single large clan which looked after its own members, the ones who passed the entrance exam. Every one of them who _survived_ was accepted.

And every one of them was a missing nin.

Being defeated by, and forced to work for an outsider, especially a male, was considered a serious disgrace by the Nights.

A disgrace punishable by a heavy sentence.

…

And she…hated… pain.

…

…_I will not…fail here._

_---_

Alright. She let out a slow breath. Step one was to find out as much info as possible on her opponents. Every little thing can come in handy.

Voreka glanced to her side, at Kisame, who was getting more than slightly ahead of her. Tsch. She better not be falling behind, even though they have been going at it for several hours straight. Her bruised lungs were really. starting to. itch.

Unexpectedly, Kisame slowed to a halt, signaling for her to do the same. Looking ahead, she saw that her other captor, Itachi, had stopped advancing, waiting beneath the canopy of trees for them to catch up.

"…We'll set up camp here." He let his backpack drop to the ground with a casual shrug. "Kisame, gather us some wood."

Grunting an acknowledgement, the shark man tossed his backpack aside as well, instantly vanishing from the space next to her.

Which left the two of them alone.

His blood red eyes turned disapprovingly to her. At least, they looked more disapproving than…usual. "Your efforts are wasted on me," Itachi told her dispassionately, his voice somehow quiet but just loud enough for her to hear him. She bit her lip as he turned his back to her while he rummaged through his backpack.

So, he could tell that she'd been hiding her exhaustion the whole time? Well. That just made her self-esteem drop a notch.

Voreka sat down heavily on the grass, allowing a sigh of relief to escape her. When she glanced back in the direction of the man, she was surprised to see that he had disappeared on her. What's this? Confident enough to leave her all by herself in the middle of a forest, where she could hide herself at ease?

…

If only she didn't find the idea of a man with a big sword _gathering _sticks for a fire just a little hard to believe.

It was too obvious a trap for her to take up on the temptation.

_Besides, I have time. _

It had been a month since she'd left her village in pursuit of becoming a Chuunin of the Lost Night. It would be another month before they send out searchers for any Genins who have not returned.

Of course, she wasn't planning on staying a captive for that long.

"So," the sudden voice of Kisame interrupted her calculations, "tell me – I'm feeling a bit clueless here – what exactly are 'jutsu thieves', and how are you able to keep up that disguise for so long?" He dumped his load of dead branches next to her and waited for her to respond to his inquiry.

Shit. How was she going to answer that without giving away too much?

"I…eh? …This _is_ my true form," she claimed without missing a beat.

"…An untruth."

The statement sent a chill through her. Voreka looked to see Itachi walking calmly towards them, a flexible bamboo basket under one arm. She pursed her lips together suspiciously.

"How are you sure of that?"

He ignored her question and replied to Kisame instead. "Amazons of the Night…" A pause. "Trained to be meticulous in their genjutsu, and in turn, their chakra control is perfect." Itachi spared her a glance out of the corner of his eye. "They are known for their inordinately prolonged transformations," he finished with a slight narrowing of his blood red orbs, as if that explained everything.

Those eyes were really starting to creep her out. Fortunately for her, he didn't seem to find the topic worth discussing further.

Reaching into the basket, he picked up an apple and flung it at her. Okay, that was an exaggeration. He didn't _fling _it at her, didn't even have to use the rest of his arm; with just with a flick of his wrist he would've caused a dark bruise on her forehead if she hadn't caught it in time.

"I don't even have to be able to_ tell,_ to know this thing's drugged," Voreka remarked sarcastically, earning her a vacant gaze from the black-robed man. It was a wonder how they could last in the heat dressed like that. She, herself only had on a low neckline, lightweight waterproof tunic with a tube top underneath, and a pair of breathable pair of shorts reaching down to her knees. Nothing skintight, mind you.

Itachi looked to Kisame, who began to set up the fire without being told. He took a step towards her. She tensed, even from that distance.

"We can't have you escaping during the night."

"That'll be a bother," Kisame grunted in agreement to Itachi's statement. "I hate having my rest disturbed."

See, sometimes her being paranoid pays off.

Voreka faked disbelief.

"What? You think I can regain my strength that fast? Should I feel honored to be so overestimated?"

Itachi tilted his face upwards and narrowed his eyes dangerously at her. "The Nights are trained in putting aside a third of their chakra on permanent reserve," he said in that soft, sinister voice of his. "You are still able to tap into that storage of chakra."

Beside her, she saw Kisame rise up and fold his arms. "Is that what it is? Shall I find a way to leech the rest of her chakra, ya think?"

Panic. Raw, confined panic settled in.

"No…"

It was Itachi who answered him, much to her surprise.

"It'll kill her." And with the same breath, "here," he tossed down his basket of apples, "there's a nearby cluster of elderberries I want to check out." Then he turned and left them, disappearing into the darkening shades of the forest.

"Is he…always like that?" she asked Kisame with a casual tone as soon as Itachi was out of sight. Nevermind that the guy with his chakra-draining sword almost unwittingly offered to killed her off. A more pressing concern made her discard any grudge making ideas.

That man, Itachi, knew more about her than she did him. In that case the situation wasn't looking good for her. And plus… She frowned. …he seemed to hold more knowledge on her village than what was considered more than usual. There had to be something up with that. She'll have to find out, to know what she's dealing with.

"Actually," Kisame reflected thoughtfully, "he's more talkative than usual."

"…" "He's…scary…" Voreka trailed off, remembering the feeling of his eyes on her, the way they seemed able to _see _everything.

"Me, I'm scary too," he chippered, grinning broadly and revealing his fangs.

"…yeah…" she humored him. Sure, he looks strange, the tough pale gray skin and his small round eyes erases the chance of him passing himself off as a human. Not to mention he wouldn't hesitate to sever her head if she overstepped her bonds. But somehow…it just wasn't the same…

"His eyes… Is he a demon?"

"AHAHAHA!" Kisame roared with laughter, and then stopped abruptly. "No. Not literally."

Silence. An uncomfortable one.

She opened her mouth to ask, but someone beat her to it.

"…Not literally…?"

Kisame coughed as Itachi re-approached them, silent and undetectable until he spoke. This time he'd taken his hat off, using it as a container for the berries he'd foraged.

She stared. Without his hat she could see the rest of his face better, minus the mouth. Definitely one of the more attractive males she'd met in her lifetime. And dangerous.

Feeling the weight of her gaze on him, Itachi turned his head slightly in her direction and met her eyes.

She wasn't sure why, but she found that she couldn't hold his gaze.

"Hey, Itachi, give us a fireball, would ya?" Even as he moved to meet Kisame's request, she still felt his eerie red eyes on her, with her keeping him within her peripheral vision.

"…No. Start one," Itachi told him, eyes never leaving her. She could feel it. Voreka widened her eyes slightly, knowing that they couldn't tell since she was facing away. So, he was being wary with her, wasn't he? Did he perhaps also know about, and fear, the Night's specialty in memorizing and analyzing jutsus?

Tossing the suspected apple aside, Voreka leaned over and grabbed another one from the basket while Kisame set about starting a fire grumbling. She felt the surface, brought it close to smell it, and nothing looked out of place, but she knew there were odorless drugs which she wasn't able to detect in the world.

"If you want my cooperation, getting me drugged wouldn't gain you my respect." Hey, it may look like she was talking to herself, except she knew he was still watching, observing her carefully from behind her back.

"…The rest are not," he replied disinterestedly, his voice like black velvet, ignoring a triumphant Kisame who let out a 'whooo!' as he got the branches blazing. "I was testing you."

If there ever was such thing as an assurance _and_ a threat, that was it. He didn't mean to reassure her in any way.

Not a way of speech she could get used to.

Hmm. Voreka frowned at the unconcerned apple in her hand. Since that morning, she hasn't had any food at all. Normally that wouldn't be a problem; they've all been trained to last on chakra from the Night's extensive training focused on chakra usage. That leaves one problem: her heavy reliance on chakra alone. What was considered her safe amounts to use had been depleted by Kisame's sword. Itachi had been right in his assessment of her capabilities.

She could die.

Already he had displayed his knowledge on some of her weak points. Their weak points. And now he was testing her for more personal ones.

_These two… _The worst possible opponents for her.

"Hey, if you don't want it, I'll have it. Just stop trying to make it cry." Kisame's growling voice broke into her musings.

"Ah…" Voreka relaxed her involuntary grip on the fruit. She'd been holding on to it so hard that her knuckles had turned white.

"Don't worry. If he _really _needed to handicap you, he'll just break a limb."

A rather tense silence ensued, in which Voreka felt the hair rise on the back of her neck. She let out a small, nervous laugh.

"…Hahaha… Speak for yourself, Kisame-san."

"Actually, if it were my way, I'd sever a limb instead."

…

"…Girl," Itachi drew her attention to him. "Discard your weapons." It was an obvious command which brooked no protests. His eyes alone said enough.

Rising up slowly, she tried to keep the distaste from her face. "Fine," she said, indifferent. She started from the neck first, the flat leather case attached to the back of her neck by a strap disguised as a choker, normally concealed by her thick cascade of hair. It was where she kept her throwing needles, easily accessible by covered openings on both sides. They were her preferred weapon to use. She frowned at him. Of course, he would watch her to make sure she didn't hide anything, but somehow it irritated her.

Reaching down beneath the skirt of her tunic, she undid the clasp which held two more identical cases at either side of her hips, throwing the thin leather belt down on the grass with the choker. Let's see, she was out of kunai…so… Bending down slightly, Voreka reached under the loose hem of her long shorts and withdrew the leg holster on which she kept small, thin razors normally used for lock-picking purposes. But with her knowledge of acupuncture, the smallest of blades could be made deadly.

Finally, she reached into her sides, where two thin gaps in the sides of her loose tunic allowed her to hide her pouches of sleep powder. She held his gaze defiantly as she threw them into the fire. A small cloud of black smoke rose up and quickly dissolved into the dying light. As if she'll hand them over to the enemy to be used against her.

"Hmm. That's all." She gave a small, almost apologetic shrug.

He came towards her. Slow, predatory, letting his straw hat drop discarded onto the grass. Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt her pulse beating on her neck. Shit. Was he going to-?

"Don't move."

_…Eeeeeeek. _She practically had to use chakra to glue her feet to the ground to prevent herself from disobeying his order. Which explains why she almost toppled backwards when he towered above her.

Indifferent, he laid his hands on her head, running them, fingers spread, down the sides of her head, the back of her neck, lightly brushing over her sides and up her back, pausing on the oversized scroll still strapped to her back. She stared blankly ahead at where his mouth would be if it wasn't hidden by his high collar. If he wasn't happy about her keeping the scroll, he didn't show it. Itachi went down to one knee, feeling for any hidden weapons on her legs. Looking over, she saw Kisame make her an almost sympathetic scowl.

"Rest."

Itachi turned from her, snatching her things from the ground as he moved away.

"Where are you going, Itachi?" Kisame called after him.

He answered without pausing, "…Getting rid of these."

…

Well, shit.

---

"Itachi-san, I'll take the first watch." Kisame's voice, considerately low, but it woke her from her light slumber nonetheless. So, he's back. How long had she been asleep already?

Voreka shifted from her position, finding a more comfortable position to rest her head on the scroll she'd stolen. Come to think of it, the clansmen of Yamanaka Ino would've sent pursuers after her by then. Oh well, let that be her captors' problem. They might even take each other out, who knows.

Movement next to her, she cracked one eye open to see Itachi lie down just an arm's length away from the batch of grass she claimed next to the fire. The fire was gone, now, too obvious a decoy in the dark. From behind her – she was laying on her side – she felt Kisame sit down, also about an arm's length away.

Tsch. So they felt like caging her in, did they?

"Too close," she grumbled. As expected, Itachi ignored her complaint. He stared at her, for he was facing their way, and Voreka realized that he had zipped down the high collar of his robe to breathe easier while lying down.

_…He's…magnetic…_

And freakishly deadpan.

Or maybe he'd fallen asleep with his eyes open.

Voreka shifted uncomfortably to face upwards to the night sky, debating whether to put up with Kisame's watchful gaze, or with Itachi's unsettling one, even though sooner or later he'll have to close his eyes. …Right?

Fortunately she didn't have to damage any more brain cells trying to decide; Itachi shifted and turned his back to her. She briefly wondered how long his hair was, seeing his ponytail, which was tucked into his robe, for the first time. Then the lure of sleep called her back into darkness.

* * *

She seldom dreamt. Dreaming was considered a hazard for the spying missions they were designed for. Dreaming meant allowing the possibility of letting something slip, be it information or emotion. Dreaming was regarded as a sign of weakness by the Amazons.

…

_Look at yourself. No one here will accept you because of your looks, and I don't want to be burdened by a weakling like you._

_Run. Run, far away from here. Don't even look back. Don't say a word…_

_…_

Her eyes opened on their own, easing her back into the real world. It was still dark, the stillness a foreboding shadow cast by the sinister moon overhead. A small movement to her side caught her eye.

It was Itachi, sitting cross-legged facing towards her and Kisame, whom she sensed to be behind her. He stared ahead of him with a blank look of meditation, not bothering to acknowledge that she was awake.

_It must be his watch… _Voreka thought idly, focusing on checking her chakra level. It was a bad sign if she dreamt, meaning that she lost sufficient amount of chakra that there wasn't enough excess to control her subconscious.

_I know I tapped into my chakra reserve in the final rounds of fighting against Kisame-san but…I had no idea it'll consume so much…_She glanced up soundlessly at Itachi's silhouette._ They are formidable foes. _

But enough of her chakra had replenished itself. And she would not be so careless this time.

"How long do you plan on keeping me, Itachi-san?" She whispered softly, aware that her words would be heard even by Kisame in his light sleep.

Those crimson red eyes turned to her in the dark, and he seemed to ponder the question, but an answer never came.

_…This is awkward. I can't go back to sleep like this…_

Sighing, she rose to a resting position from the ground. At once she sensed Kisame's breathing become shallower. Ninjas are, of course, aware of what was happening around them at all times.

"Tsch. At least tell me _something! _Why, then, didn't you go after the real I-…girl, instead? What is it that you want from me?"

He stared her down, motionless. Voreka bit her lip. It wasn't exactly a pleasant feeling. Then he shut his eyes slowly, briefly before opening them again to fix her with a harsh look.

"…Fool. We do not need them sending warning to our targets ahead of time. You…" If it was possible, Itachi's glare turned even more malignant.

"I foiled your plan by disguising myself as your intended hostage. Now it'll draw too much attention by going back and reattempting to capture her." She finished his unspoken accusation for him. She figured he had the habit of leaving out as much as possible gaps between his explanations for others to figure out by themselves.

"Tsch. Did it occur to you that I will not be as cooperative as you might think?" She smiled ambiguously. "It might've been easier to have gone back and found the real girl, Itachi-san."

"…And if I were to change my mind and do that…" he pondered out loud, tone stealthy and blood chilling, "then there would be no reason in keeping you alive…" Then his tone changed abruptly as he looked past her.

"Kisame."

"I hear ya." The big man rose up readily to his full height behind her, lifting his sword in one hand as he did so. She froze, hesitating.

"…They're here."

Almost simultaneously as those words left his lips, a spray of throwing stars came slicing through the air towards them. At least, she guessed they were throwing stars by the whizzing sound they made as they spun; it was pretty hard to tell in the dark. Not that it was a good idea to get close and look.

"Get down!" Without even giving her time to comply, Kisame shoved a hand to her back, causing her to fall flat to the ground. _Oof. _There was the sound of the stars being knocked aside by his sword. Voreka turned to see Kisame scanning the area intently, while Itachi rose listlessly to his feet.

"Think they've set up traps?" Kisame growled, unable to contain the pleasure evident in his voice. If she haven't misinterpreted, it seemed as if Itachi gave the taller missing nin a sidelong, disapproving look, which Kisame was blissfully ignorant of.

"…Kisame." It was a warning. She'd have to be deaf to miss that.

"I know, I know. I won't make a mess, Itachi-san." As if not wanting to risk Itachi changing his mind about it, Kisame raised his sword from the ground and leaped off towards the direction where the throwing stars came from.

_…and that's the first time I've ever seen anyone head knowingly straight into a trap, _Voreka thought, incredulous.

"Aren't you going to help your comrade?" she asked Itachi sweetly, rising to her feet and adjusting her tunic. He eyed her, indifferent.

"…They're after you."

She drew herself up straighter. So he thought she needed him protecting her, did he? "Don't underestimate me," she told him confidently. A brief pause. He made no response, simply turned and disappeared in a blur.

But if he expected her to not go anywhere, he was wrong.

Voreka smiled faintly to herself, drawing out chakra from within to prepare for what was to come.

No sooner than he was gone, two dark forms materialized before her. They were ninjas, Konoha's leaf sigil etched onto their forehead protectors. Leafs sent on the mission to retrieve the highly secretive scroll she'd stolen, most likely ninjas ranked above Chuunins. They scowled at her, at the large scroll she secured onto her back.

"You, give back the scroll!" She saw them ready their weapons at their sides. She shook her head.

"Even if I return it to you now, you won't believe it to be real." Voreka placed her hands together to form a seal. "Sorry, gentlemen, but you're in the way."

The two Leafs visibly tensed. "Get her!" They came at her, throwing stars flying before them. She released her jutsu, creating a mighty gyre of wind around her which easily knocked away their stars. But that wasn't all.

As the two ninjas fell back, shielding themselves against the blasting air, one of them recognized it for what it was. "Genjutsu!" he yelled. He and his partner both shut their eyes and placed their hands together in genjutsu counter. Voreka was about to disrupt their concentration when she thought better about it. Let them chase after her if they wish; she can get rid of them later. Her priority was to lose her two captors while they were occupied with other Leafs.

"Damn! Where'd she go?" she heard the two Leafs curse from somewhere behind her as she sped past the trees. The next moment they passed her completely while searching both sides for signs of their prey. She rose from her crouch, listening intently to make sure that they were gone. They had underestimated her, probably thinking that she posed no threat compared to the other two missing nins.

Voreka let out a breath of relief, turning to resume her escape when _he _intercepted.

_Wh-what? _

Itachi stood towering above her, how he managed to find her and sneak up without her notice confounded her. Shit, he couldn't blame her for running away from ninjas after her, could he?

Without a word, he turned and started heading back from where they came from, no doubt expecting her to follow.

She started to trail after him, making up her mind to do it. Itachi paused in mid-stride as she divided into four clones, five embodiments including her real form.

Yeah, she was probably going to regret doing this but… _I don't care. I want to know…what I'm up against. _

"Hmph." Not bothering to spare her a glance over his shoulder, he gestured for her to go at him with one hand. She charged at him, all at once. He caught her two of her clone's jumping reverse roundhouse kicks, one with each hand. Voreka had time to change her plan and bring her hands together in a seal before he spun around in a blur, sending the two clones into the other two before they could even land a blow on him, even though they attacked at the same time. That fast.

"Distortion." She whispered the name of her jutsu to activate it.

She felt a breath of chill air washed over her as it enveloped the space her and the man in front of her, like an invisible giant sucking in air. What she knew the victims of this genjutsu will be seeing is an overbearing, wavering distorted image of reality. However, the fact that the black-robed man wasn't staggering yet told her that she was in trouble.

"Tsch." Voreka leapt backwards several times, keeping out of range. She was sure she'd kept her eye on her opponent, but when she blinked, he was gone. She immediately checked all sides. What's going on? Was it genjutsu counter? Wher-

Her mind was just barely able to register him reappearing right in front of her, before he kneed her hard in the guts. She gasped for breath as he heaved her up by the top of her tunic and came eye to eye with his scornful glare.

"…That was a bad idea…" he said softly through the high collar of his robe. She tasted blood in her mouth and tried not to hack up more.

A small stir in the grass as someone landed behind them. "I got the rest, Itac-" Kisame cut himself off at the sight. Itachi's eyes remained fixated on her, that of a statue's intensity. She heard Kisame growl.

"Damn it, Girl, what did you think you were doing?" He turned to Itachi. "Itachi-san, if you handicap her now, might as well leave her with the Leafs, otherwise we'll have them pursuing us for the rest of the journey."

"Testing my bonds…" Voreka answered his question, shrugging – a bit awkwardly, since he was still keeping her on tiptoe with his hand grasping her tunic – as if it were a perfectly normal thing to do.

Kisame looked perplexed at her reply, but as expected, Itachi showed no signs of any reaction to her words.

"…Repeat that."

She blinked into pools of dark scarlet, his abnormal irises. It had taken her a moment to realize that it was Itachi who spoke.

"Uhm…I mean I was…testing my bonds; ability…uhm…capacity…?" _To escape, _she left out, figuring it was pretty obvious already. Voreka sucked in a breath. "I could probably speak more clear if you….put me down."

To her surprise, he let go. She bent over, coughing, as he moved away.

"…Deplete her chakra." Then he was gone, expecting them to catch up.

Kisame turned to eye her incredulously. "You just lucked out."

Voreka straightened painfully. "…If you say so."

_It's not over yet. _


	3. Let me break you from your goal

A/N: Late warning: there's slight mention of NarutoxSakura in this story, although that is still debatable. Don't worry…nothing…physical… C'mon, who else here feels sorry for Naruto?

* * *

Chapter 3 – "Let me break you from your goal."

"Voreka, you look like you're about to _die_. What, exhausted already?" Kisame's gruff voice drew her attention to the tall man beside her.

…

"How many more days?" she murmured, for some reason not wanting Itachi, who was quite far ahead actually, to overhear.

"…" He continued eyeing her, one brow raised. "It's only the first day you've been traveling with us, not counting last night."

Right, but that doesn't ease her in any way. It wasn't that she was getting worn out yet…it was because she had a deadline to meet. She wanted to know when they were planning to release her. Hopefully they will release her, and not kill her. If they effortlessly took out last night's Leaf search squad, then she wasn't going to be thrilled to be up against either, and certainly not both.

"I know. It's just way too hot for me." Beads of sweat trickled down the back of her neck. There were some things harder to endure than others. She really. needed. a bath. Letting out a soft sigh, she eyed the dark figure up ahead.

"Kisame-san, are those eyes of his able to…well…_see_ more things than normal eyes?"

The shark man laughed his booming laugh. "You haven't noticed yet? Yeah, he commands the Sharingan to its full extent!"

…

"…Sharingan?" she asked, careful not to sound inquiring.

He stared at her dubiously.

"What? You've never heard of the Uchiha clan?"

Voreka raked through her brain.

…

"…Uchiha clan?"

Kisame scowled. "Girl, what have you? Lived in a tree all your life?"

"Uhm…ha…"

They passed a few minutes in silence.

"So…the rest of this clan…is situated in Fire Country?"

A brief pause before Kisame replied casually, "No, the rest of the Uchiha, 'cept one other, are dead."

_Is that so…? _Voreka looked ahead of her thoughtfully. "Is that why he's…" She waved a hand, unable to come up with a suitable adjective.

"HA!" Kisame interjected loudly.

Loud enough to make a certain black haired shinobi stop and turn to set his red eyed glare on them both.

"Kisame. Take the lead."

…

_Awww!_

With a hint of unease, Kisame obeyed. She saw Itachi say something quiet enough that she wasn't able to pick up, to Kisame, as he passed him.

Itachi evidently wasn't pleased.

He spared her a sidelong look of disapproval. "Keep up, Girl."

Voreka followed after him, careful to maintain a comfortable distance between them. Or at least, as comfortable as it could get.

A suffocating silence descended upon them, so dense that even her accelerated breathing seemed embarrassing.

"I have a name, and yet you don't even address me as 'kunoichi'."

She almost got fooled into thinking that he didn't hear her; he sure took his time in responding.

"…Perhaps you are reckless enough to give us your real name…but you call yourself a ninja…?" He turned his head slightly to stare at her with those empty, cold eyes over his shoulder. "You makeshift females…are pathetic excuses for shinobi."

Inwardly, she flinched at his words. She was determined not to let an outsider undermine her. Yet, unexplainably…-No, it's because…his words directed at her struck true.

"My name is Voreka. I have no other. I am a ninja in heart and soul."

_I am not the weak girl I once was…_

"…Heh." He commented no further.

That marked the end of their short-lived conversation.

_So this Itachi is a…woman-hater?_

If so, what did it mean for her?

_---_

She was absorbed in her own thoughts – not like there's much else to do anyway – when Itachi slowed to a halt. Likewise, she also came to a stop when she saw Kisame waiting with a report.

"Itachi-san, there's a lake right up ahead. Let's make a small repose, ya? You bruised her pretty bad last night."

Although Itachi remained outwardly indifferent to Kisame's request, Voreka felt the tension level rise in the space between the three of them, an electric field which prickled her skin.

"Humph." Itachi's reply, neither consent nor dissent.

"Don't stop for _me. _I am not weak." She saw Kisame glare at her from behind Itachi, but she had no room for feeling ungrateful. "Do not go easy on me because I am a woman. _You'll regret it_."

Yes, he struck a nerve. Yes, she was probably going to regret using that tone on him. Very, very soon.

The shorter man took one step towards her.

"…Since we're making good time…" Itachi reached up a hand to brush his bangs away from his eyes as he gazed distastefully at her. "We'll stop here..."

Voreka flashed her spring green eyes at him. Was he deliberately mocking her?

Her blood was boiling. She had half the mind to say – or do – something she would _really_ regret, before he forestalled any attempts.

"Fool. It is not out of consideration for you. Right now, a keen nose can trace you from miles away."

"Tsch. Excuse me for living." _I forgot certain cold-blooded individuals don't sweat, _but she wisely kept that to herself.

"…Kisame, head back and cover our tracks. We don't need them figuring out where we're heading."

With a curt nod, the shark man complied. Not before tossing an inscrutable glance her way.

Itachi was already moving ahead, walking. Voreka trailed after him. She was left with him again. Did she dare to attempt an escape? How was he able to detect her when she'd hidden last night?

The lake. It was…beautiful. Serene and inviting in the glowing afternoon sun. Itachi sat himself down cross-legged against the trunk of a tree next to the gentle lapping of water against the shore.

…

"Must you?" Folding her arms, Voreka looked down at him defensively. He answered by a way of a lingering stare on her face, emotionless. Then he leaned back and closed his eyes, dark dense eyelashes casting a miniature shadow on his cheeks.

_Tsch. Fine._

He didn't seem to be someone who would…look…but…the thought didn't comfort her. Dropping the scroll on the ground first, she waded into the water up to mid-half, she was thankful to find that the lake was warm, heated by the sun during the long hours of the day.

Voreka pulled off her tunic, tossing it beside her in the water for a good soaking before washing. Her other garments soon followed. Gathering her hair to one side, she bit down an urge to glance back. It wasn't that she was _shy_. It was because she would need to drop her illusion if she wanted to wash herself.

Which she did, walking deeper into the lake as she allowed her adopted disguise dissolve. Chest-deep in water, she came face to face with her reflection. Her hated traits which branded her as a human with a tainted bloodline.

Her irises were like sheets of pink ice, her hair blades of newly sprung grass, and her lips the red of a blood dawn. She reached out a hand and clutched the surface of the water, distorting the reflection of her face.

Slowly, she sank down to her knees, completely submerged in the water so that she wouldn't have to see her image.

_I'm sorry, Mezhari-chan, I can't take you with me…_

Damn! She came back up for air, breaking the surface of the water with a gasp for air and wiping her eyes. Why did she remember that just then? Did his words really affect her that much?

Brushing back clusters of wet hair, Voreka glanced back over her shoulder, to find that her guard was no where to be seen. Not that she was fooled into thinking he wouldn't know if she tried anything.

He had left his robe on the bank of the lake.

She searched her surroundings, thinking perhaps he was taking his own little swim in the lake, but there was no sign of the man. The closer she drew to shore, the more apparent it became that he meant for her to make use of his robe. Voreka shook her head, unsure of what to make out of the matter.

This man…

_URGH! _

Abruptly, she fished out her clothes with great splashes of water, which were floating unimpressed around where she'd shed them. She was huffing by the time she dragged herself out of the lake, fully dressed and dripping water everywhere.

_Don't pity me…_

Using unnecessary force, she tugged her clothes into place. Then she flung her hair back, out of the way.

_Don't belittle me…_

_…or I'll…kill you._

Calming down a little, she passed her hands over her body, molding chakra into her raven haired, green eyed mask. Not only that, but her size also shrank, bestowing on her the illusion of her being several years younger than she actually was. Nineteen and still a Chuunin of her village, which was not at all seen to be uncommon…since most of them are outsiders who have been accepted into the Night. Because most of them were…

She left the thought unfinished. Twisting her hair in her hands, she tried to wring out as much water as she could. With one hand, she picked up the scroll by one end of it, and his…robe…thingy…with her other hand. One corner of her lips twisted up in a smirk. Or it may be a cloak, considering how it practically swam on him. The point is she didn't think it did his malignant image justice.

_Sharingan…_Voreka thought to herself as she set out to look for the man, or men. _I wonder if he can see past my disguise, since my genjutsu had no effect on him. Unless that was his clone I unknowingly targeted. _Damn it. She needed to find out more.

She would need to get closer to Kisame.

* * *

"What did he do? Throw you into the water?" The shark man chuckled, obviously amused by the thought of that. She gave him a look.

"No, I was disguising myself as a twig in an attempt to get away, but he somehow saw through my brilliant disguise and sent shuriken at me. So I fell in the lake," she lied, exaggeratedly.

"AHAHAHA!" Kisame ruffled her hair as she sat sprawled out on the grass next to him, completely messing it up. "You should know better than to try that, now," he joked, humoring her. "None of your genjutsu will work on him."

_Is that so? I see. _

"Where is Itachi-san, by the way? I have to return this to him." She held up the black cloak with the strange red clouds on it. Kisame was quiet in thought for a moment.

"He lent you his cloak?"

"No way am I wearing it, though. Besides it being his, it also looks funny – sorry, it looks funnier on him though." She took in his expression. "Naturally, he's standing right behind me."

"…Naturally," his cool, unhurried voice confirmed.

She made a mental note to watch her back.

Turning around slowly, Voreka met his eye. Without his cloak, she was able to take in his strong arms and his well-muscled but slim torso. She rose, not liking having to strain her neck to be stared down upon.

"Itachi-san." She held out his cloak to him. "I don't need. your consideration."

A tense moment passed, none of them moved. Finally, he reached out a hand and took back what belonged to him.

"I'll remember that."

It was so faint that she could've easily missed it, but she was too absorbed in staring at his jaw, the smooth curve of his neck to miss it. For an instant she thought she saw the man's lips curl up in the barest hint of a smile.

"What did you find out about our pursuers, Itachi?"

"…Five teams of four, getting further from here." Itachi turned sideways to Kisame. "Good work."

"Bah. I thought we took care of them last night! What, are they new ones?"

She sneezed. They were in shades of trees, after all. She ignored the stares she received.

"…No," Itachi replied, turning back to Kisame, "backups, it looks like. They're not giving up the Yamanaka scroll that easily."

Her ears perked up.

"Really? I didn't think they had enough manpower to spare after the invasion by the Sand."

"…That is exactly why…they can't afford to look weak now." Itachi turned his vivid red eyes on her, wide-eyed. She gulped. Was he…angry at her?

"Well! I suppose it was a good thing you ran into us, then, right, Voreka?" Kisame let out a sinister chuckle.

"I-would've-been-able-to-sneak-away-successfully-if-it-weren't-for-that-most-misfortunate-incident," she claimed in a low monotonous voice.

"You're underestimating s, Girl."

Voreka inwardly flinched at the tone.

"…They would still be able to track you down," Itachi added, with the even, certain voice which was characteristic of him.

"I would've been able to deal with them," she countered confidently.

His eyes narrowed just slightly, but it was obvious that he didn't believe her.

"You were knocked out by Kisame alone."

He clearly wasn't going to let her live that down, was he?

"Gah-That-…that was because I-…" Voreka clenched her fists, aware that there wasn't a valid excuse for underestimating her opponent.

"Well then, I say we have a rematch sometime! Kukuku." Kisame ruffled her hair again, and she struggled dignifiedly to remain upright under the pressure. She took it as a warning to shut up.

"…We'll move out at nightfall," Itachi changed the subject completely. "They are still too close for us to relax yet." He paused. "Kisame, you keep watch."

"Understood."

Whistling a little song, Kisame leisurely made his way out of sight. Itachi didn't look at her again. He slipped on his cloak, laying down against the trunk of the tree and closing his eyes.

_For thinking that I am weak, you still are wary of leaving me alone with Kisame, aren't you? Tsch. _She smiled to herself. _That's right, because next time, I won't lose._

Careful not to get any water on the scroll, she untied the string which bond it together and spread it out on the ground. She hadn't been deceiving herself into thinking that learning a stolen jutsu would be easy, but it was required of her. It was required of all of them who wanted to become Chuunin.

_As expected…a lot of these instructions, I'm not familiar with. This will take a fair bit of guessing to get the hang of it. _She sat down cross-legged on the ground. The first step stated was to clear her mind of all disruptions, since the mind-body switch jutsu revolved around a great deal of willpower. Normally there wasn't one bit of a problem with her doing just that – she'd been trained in all of the basics of ninjutsu and genjutsu. Except this time…

She creaked open an eye, frowning as she glanced behind her. "I feel you trying to burn two holes into the back of my neck. Or are you telling me I'm not supposed to be practicing jutsu in your presence?" she asked sarcastically.

He remained in the exact same position she last saw him in, except for the fact that his eyes were on her, vacant and unsettling.

"You are a Genin."

Her glare faltered. It wasn't even a question. How did he-

The sound of falling trees distracted her. Both of them turned to the turbulence.

"What is-" What looked like the gigantic form of a stocky ninja flexed and started sending punches earthbound, no doubt where Kisame was at the moment.

"…You can wait here."

Voreka got up as he moved past her, taking one step at a time, unhurriedly towards the commotion which was going on without them. Hmm…but he said '_can',_ didn't he?

It was an opportunity to observe their fighting styles, and she wasn't about to miss that.

* * *

"I see…so that's how you were able to find us. Kukuku." Kisame tightened his grip on his sword. "I think I'll get rid of the mutt, first."

The canine growled menacingly, and his mistress took up a defensive stance beside him.

"I remember now. Someone managed to cut my arm last night. No wonder you didn't fall for the traps. Too bad, now I'll have to get rid of you!"

He lunged at them, deflecting kunai out of the way with swings of his large katana.

Unfortunately, there was a great deal of obstacles in getting to the mutt. He had to use Samehada to haul himself aside, off the ground, as two flights of shadows narrowly missed him. Obviously it wouldn't be a good thing to be caught by those. He braced himself and used both arms to block a giant fist, tearing the soil open beneath his feet as he stood against the pressure. With considerable effort, Kisame heaved the punch aside just as the shadow user made another attempt at him, and then ducked down as shuriken sailed overhead. This will be bothersome, yeh.

"You can't take on the four of us alone! We are ninjas of the Leaf! Where is the other missing nin?"

As if on cue, a shadow flitted over the small clearing which was their battlefield, as a blanket of clouds passed under the sun. All gazes were fixed on the smaller figure calmly making his way to stand next to him.

"T-that's-!"

"Uchiha. Itachi." another Leaf completed the exclamation for the first one.

Itachi glanced at each of the four Leafs, eyes pausing on the super-sized ninja towering above them. "…You deal with that one."

"Spread out, and don't look at his eyes!"

Kisame leaped aside as a giant foot came down towards him. The ground shook. Taking care of one ninja would be easy for him. He was more concerned about Itachi taking on three at once; they haven't had to chance to rest properly from the action the previous night. "I'll have to end this quickly," he said to no one in particular. "Yo, fatso! Is that the fastest you can move?" he taunted. It earned him a loud roar of rage and a scary looking face as the Leaf ninja shot another punch down at him. Kukuku.

Lifting his sword with both hands, Kisame waited for the right moment before the punch reached him to swing it upwards, shaving off the chakra which surrounded his opponent like a second skin. The effect was instantaneous. Depleted of his chakra, the Leaf shrank back to his original form. "Much better," he commented with his bloodthirsty grin.

---

_So that's it… No wonder he wanted me to draw out my chakra before he used his sword on me last night. _Voreka bit her lip, thinking. He can only suck away the chakra already summoned and leaking through, can he? Right, she'll just have to find a way to deal with that.

Upon turning to observe the other missing nin, she found him surrounded by the three other Leafs. The dog was behaving strangely, barking violently at something which she couldn't see, and his mistress was trying to calm him down. She realized he had used genjutsu on the nin dog, and she didn't even see him forming seals.

_Wait. How is that possible? _

One of the Leafs attacked using a ninjutsu, forming great talons of shadows which pierced through the motionless Itachi. The black cloaked man melted into shades, revealing that it was a clone. The next thing she saw was the same ninja who performed the shadow technique flying backwards into his comrade.

_H-he's too fast for me to follow._

Itachi lowered his leg slowly, having just delivered that powerful sidekick, hindering two of his enemies. The kunoichi and her dog went at him. He turned, drew in a deep breath, and breathed out a great stream of fire in their direction. And it was literally a stream of fire. Itachi stopped and inhaled air back into his lungs. The fire didn't as much as burn as to disintegrate anything in its path. What was left was not burning trees, but a dark scorched path where the fire had gone through.

_This man…Dangerous…_

Barking, the dog tried to drag his coughing mistress out from under two toppled trees. Just as Itachi started to make his way towards them, the other two Leafs attacked from behind, appearing out of thin air. Even though they were armed, it was clear that they weren't a match for the red eyed man in terms of speed. With a back-sidekick too fast for the untrained eye to follow, Itachi sent the first one flying back – again – and single-handedly grabbed the weapon hand of the second man before he could use it. Their eyes met. She wasn't sure what she missed, but the Leaf crumbled before the missing nin. He didn't get back up.

"Shikato!" the concerned shout rose up.

"Kisame," Itachi commanded, making his sidekick pause from clashing blades with his own opponent. "We're leaving."

"Damn," Kisame grumbled. "Must you leech every drop of joy from my life?" But he obeyed, albeit reluctantly, vanishing from the deadlock he and his opponent had their weapons in. No one came after them.

From up in the top branches of the tree where she could see everything, Voreka raised an eyebrow. Did she hear right? That was unexpected. It looked like Itachi could've easily finished off the remaining Leafs, and Kisame was starting to overpower his weary opponent. So why the retreat?

"Girl, come."

He was indicating to her. She gazed down at them both, many thoughts going through her head all at once. There was a small flickering to his eyes, as if it were difficult to keep them open fully.

She dropped from the tree, careful not to let anything show on her face. It was barely audible, but it was there. Itachi was panting softly.

He led the way, leaping ahead with steady, swift motions which belied any fatigue. She and Kisame followed suit. Voreka sneaked a glance at the shark man beside her. His mouth was set in a thin line, and he kept his eyes on the man in front of them.

_I see…Itachi-san is not without flaw. There's something up with those eyes of his…_ She smiled to herself. Itachi had unwilling showed her a weakness by allowing her to tag along. Then again, if he didn't, he would probably have to waste some energy hunting her down again, and that doesn't look like something he'll want to do right then.

_He probably thinks I'm not capable of exploiting that weakness. _She considered it, and then put it aside somewhere in the back of her mind to dwell on later. _We'll see about that._

Operation stage one cleared.


	4. I'll crush your bones

A/N: Note the secondary genre is changed from drama to action/adventure. Allow me to make my point: you may not like reading action, and I don't like writing action, but I feel it's necessary to include it anyway. Thank you for your patience.

Lonewolf4ever: operation stage one: cleared is Voreka's note to herself that she's done gathering enough info on her captors to plan her next move, referring back to the start of the second chapter. :D I know it's a bit hard to follow some bits because of the time between updates.

* * *

Chapter 4 – "I'll crush your bones."

"Kisame-san, let me take a look at your wounds."

They had stopped for a break just as the sun had fully set. Even she was breathing heavily by then. He gave her a questioning look, but looked like he didn't want to spare breath to ask about it. Turning to give her a better angle, he pointed at the slash ripping through the shoulder of his cloak, and also rolled up his sleeve enough for her to see the less recent wound on his forearm. Both on his right arm. His sword arm.

_I see. Even with his massive strength, with a sword that size, his movements have to be wide. That limits his mobility and reaction rate, and can also create a lot of openings. _

_Too bad my weakness is in speed. I'll have to find some other way._

"May I?" she asked, tugging on his sleeve with one hand and gathering chakra with the other.

Kisame raised a brow in surprise. "You're a medic?" But she took the fact that he didn't pull away meant she was allowed to go ahead.

"No, but closing most wounds I can do, depending on how deep they are. It's pretty straightforward." She finished tuning the amount of chakra in her hand. "This will hurt."

He grunted an acknowledgement. Voreka let her hand hover over his wound, letting chakra seep through to induce cell replication and hemostasis. It was a relatively slow process which demanded her devote concentration, not something she could do while in battle, without the expertise that of a medical nin.

Slowly, the cut on his forearm started to close. She let out the breath she'd been holding when it sealed completely.

"Itachi-san," Kisame hailed him as she worked on the slash down his shoulder. "Do ya think they'll make connections with the direction we're going? We don't have enough time to take a detour to throw them off."

"…" The red eyed man didn't glance back at them. "…We have no choice."

"Next time they won't come unprepared," Kisame foretold. Itachi inclined his head in a silent agreement, pausing before replying "…Yes. Next time, it'll be hunter nins."

"I'm curious. Where are we headed for anyway?" She interrupted the gloom, returning Itachi's sidelong stare unflinchingly. He seemed to consider enlightening her for a long moment, before glancing at Kisame.

"Hidden Grass domain, Tenchikyou, the Heaven and Earth Bridge," Kisame supplied. He grinned at her unaffected expression, guessing she didn't know where that was anyway. "We need to reach the bridge in three day's time, to take down two birds with one stone." That was all he volunteered. Without being told, Kisame released the straw hat hanging from his back, leaving the two of them by themselves to find some food.

"But…Itachi-san," Voreka asked, a bit hesitantly, "how long do you plan on detaining me?"

If it weren't for the deceiving dark, she could've sworn that once again, a near invisible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. She saw it through the unbuttoned top of his cloak.

"…Long enough."

They stared at one another, and this time unease ran up and down her spine.

_Now that I think of it…I wonder…can his eyes see through the effect level of genjutsu on my disguise? _

She feigned a cough, breaking the dramatic tension. "Excuse me, I need to be practicing." Well, at least it served as a reason to ignore him completely.

Resting herself on the ground, she took up where she'd left off. The basics of the Yamanaka's mind-switching jutsu were to create two minds by splitting one's consciousness in half, which was as hard as it sounds. She furrowed her brow in deep focus.

_Urgh. This is bad. It may be impossible for me to master this without their birth inherited talent. _Her eyes shot open. _Tsch. What am I saying? I am-…I can-…I can-…_

"Can you cook?"

She looked up at the silhouette of Kisame's form, suddenly at a lost for a response.

"Just checking to see, because I'm not much of a cook, and I'd like to give Itachi-san a break, ya?"

Voreka tilted her head and looked past the man at Itachi's turned back. So he thought Itachi-san needed a break, did he?

"…Uhm…I-…" She stared at the batch of wild potatoes and carrots in his hand. "Uhm..."

"…A woman's not a woman if she if she can't take care of herself." Itachi's voice carried to them. She blinked. He turned in his half-kneeling, half-sitting position. "…Since…a woman's natural place is to remain at home, taking care of others…"

A flash of red swept across her vision. She twitched. _What is this…resentment I feel…? _Their eyes met, and the challenge in his was unmistakable. She dropped her gaze, rising slowly to her feet. Knowing that she is an Amazon, what he just said was a deliberate insult. Still…why would he make such obvious provocation?

From next to her, she sensed Kisame look back and fro between them, not quite comprehending what was happening.

"The point is…You don't belong on a battlefield, Girl, you are foolish to think otherwise."

Her eyes widened at his cold words.

_"But why not? I won't be a burden, I swear!"_

_The boy smiled gently, bowing his head apologetically._

_"Where my sempai goes, I will go." Then his voice became solemn. "In the real world, fighting is not just a competition, Mezhari-chan. Please stay here, the path I follow is sewn with dangers you can't possibly imagine." _

_"B-but Haku-kun…! You promised…!" _

_He silenced her with a kiss on her forehead._

_"I'll always be with you, as the shadow you must catch up to. And when that day arrives, come and look for me. Please forgive me."_

Voreka let out the breath she'd unconsciously been holding. "I am not. weak." How dare he imply that she was incompetent! She had sworn to herself that no one would ever think her weak again.

…Because that time…being weak…lost her the one person she cared about most.

Seeing her clenched fists, Itachi momentarily shut his eyes with a mocking _humph. _He rose, to his full height, so that their eyes were leveled across the small distance between them. Slowly, he opened his eyes again, and she was surprised to see that the red irises were gone. As if he could switch them on and off.

He threw something at her feet – no, not at her feet, next to her feet – and it struck the soil with a thud, its dark solid form sticking upright out of the ground. A kunai. A clear challenge, as if it wasn't obvious enough before.

"Itachi-san," Kisame started to protest, perhaps out of consideration for her, perhaps for both.

"Don't worry, Kisame-san." Voreka let out a deep breath and smiled, at them both. With a reasonable voice, she declared, "I'm a shinobi." She gave Itachi the cold shoulder. "I don't let emotions dictate me." Flawless. She smirked to herself, sensing rather than seeing Kisame's awe at her words. _Now. _

She spun around, within the space of a second, kicking the kunai with her heel, sending it spiraling towards Itachi. He arced himself backwards just as it zipped past above him. Nice reflexes. She raised her hands, fingers flying in performing seals.

_Tsch. This would've been a lot easier with my weapons. Looks like I'll have to compromise. _

_**Wind Technique: Wind-forgery! **_

She released a visible whiff of chakra from the palms of her hand. _Let's see you dodge this one! _The chakra diffused in the air, solidifying into razor sharp shuriken. A lot of shuriken. She waved a hand. _Go!_

She saw his eyes widen. No, he probably didn't expect that. There wasn't enough time to avoid getting hurt, to do anything, actually. But she had underestimated him.

_Wh-what?_

Her wind shuriken had dissipated when they struck their target. Except their target was no longer Itachi. A maimed log fell lifelessly to the ground.

_Th-this is…! _She felt movement from behind, raising her arms in time to block his weapon, the kunai which dug into the back of her left hand. Pain. A small splash of dark red blood, a few stray drops landing on his cheek, for they were face to face now.

_Shit. I knew he was fast but…this is no illusion! His jutsu speed is…faster than mine!_

"Itachi-san…" Voreka heard Kisame intrude on the staring contest.

"Relax, Kisame. It'll be over in a second," Itachi claimed, not breaking their deadlock, his kunai still pressed into her left hand.

_That_ ticked her off. Again.

_Tsch. Since I've gone this far. I'll give it all I've got! _

She thrust with her left hand, brutally forcing the kunai – his weapon – all the way _through _the center of her hand, and twisting her hand so that it was lodged in the kunai's hilt. Yeah, it kills. The path of the ninja was not for the weak hearted. Outwardly, she contained her trembling and masked her pain with a dry smirk. "Now, then…"

She had been gathering quickly with her right hand, and an ethereal blue glow wrapped itself around her hand, crawling upwards a bit past her wrist. He noticed, of course, and for perhaps the first time, Voreka saw his eyes go defensive. "Tsch. That's right!" she answered his unvoiced doubt, "This is the Lost Night's Soul Eater no Jutsu!"

Without further delay, she shifted her stance and attempted a palm strike to his jaw with that hand, her free hand. He released his hold on the kunai. He had to, in able to dodge her blow.

"…That jutsu…and a Genin…" Itachi mused out loud.

_But lacking in speed, I know, _Voreka thought to herself, yanking out the kunai from the back of her hand, ripping out blood and tissue as she did so. _Oh well, the immediate goal was to get him to let go of me anyway. Tsch, this hurts!_

She sucked in a silent breath, slipped the bloody kunai inside her tunic, and pressed her fingertips together in her standard starter seal. Shit, she couldn't even perform seals efficiently anymore. "Why are you hesitating? It'll cost you," she told him breezily.

_This next ninjutsu is a gamble, it's going to cost me the majority of my remaining chakra but…I think I have a fair grasp on what's going on. _Keeping her face carefully devoid of expression, she watched him as her hands fumbled hastily to perform her eleven required seals.

_His eyes, – the Sharingan, was it? – he could shut them off. That must means it's not an innate ability, and that he must expend chakra unceasingly when it's activated. Deactivating it to taunt me…there must be another reason. The battle last night, speed traveling for the whole day, and the confrontation this afternoon…he must be almost out. _

_**Lost Night Supreme Technique: Black Oblivion!**_

She slammed palm of her bleeding hand down on the ground and didn't allow herself to relax even as black darkness rose from the ground surrounding her, stretching and clawing relentlessly upwards to blend into the already descending blanket of night. _To think that I had to resort to this…But it's over now! _Extending her good arm, she once again welled up the ghostly blue chakra in the palm of her hand. She slid silently within the pitch black space which consumed everything in sight. _I'll just have to…steal the remainder of his chakra!_

"…And even the Jounin-level dark-summoning jutsu," Voreka heard his voice float in from in front of her, "Although from the looks of it, you haven't done it justice." She stopped short, breath caught uncomfortably halfway up her throat. Eerie red eyes glowed suddenly in the space before her. She clenched her jaw, forced into the realization that even her finely tuned acuteness was no match for his stealth.

_He's at least a B-Class missing nin. Definitely. Shit, I might have just screwed myself over._

Voreka fell back into an evasive stance. " Impossible!" she exclaimed, "This isn't an illusion! You shouldn't be able to see through this level of darkness!" A sudden stinging crossed her right cheek where a weapon sliced a thin line as it shot past. She narrowed her eyes at him, hurling her fist right where his face would be in the black void. Her punch went right through. No, his eyes were still there but – her fist went right through. The muscles in her neck tensed. A genjutsu-? When did he-? She glanced down at her injured hand, even though she herself couldn't see anything but black.

_Yet this-…this pain is real…This is no ordinary level genjutsu. _

"You are weak."

The whispered words carried by her ears like the fluttering of a hundred leaves. The solid ground beneath her feet erupted into a flurry of black butterflies, the beating of their wings fanning shallow breaths of air on her skin. In a moment, the space cleared to reveal an uncannily familiar landscape.

Gyring gusts of wind lifted locks of her hair and the hem of her loose clothing, frolicking among the dense growth of tall grass which bent beneath the weight.

_N-not good! _Voreka clapped her hands together and concentrated hard on quelling her revulsions. She felt a displacement of air as Itachi appeared behind her, close enough for her to feel his presence brush the hair on her back. Her eyes snapped open in realization. Her hair was in its natural, pastel green! That means he-!

Itachi's breath lightly fanned the flames of her apprehension on the back of her neck as he spoke. "…Let me remind you of the price of failure."

No sooner than those promising words left his lips did a gathering of people suddenly appear around her. She recognized them. Each one of them. Prickles of unease crept up her back. Did he actually know that much, or was he messing with her head? A voice in her head was reminding her that she had to break herself free from his genjutsu, but at the same time she felt paralyzed with fascination.

She, herself, is a genjutsu type.

"You know why you have been summoned here." It wasn't even a question, spoken from behind an elaborate mask with three vertical slits allowing the wearer to better transmit her voice and her authoritative gaze.

It was a genjutsu; she had already convinced herself of that. Yet, she felt strangely compelled to reply as one of her councilors demanded a response with that even, apathetic tone she knew so well. And so, finding her mouth dry, she simply nodded.

"Do you remember what it means to be part of the elite shinobi of the Lost Night?"

Voreka was gazing around her, feeling the inquisitive eyes of familiar figures, unmistakable down to the last detail. She even forgot about the presence of the genjutsu user behind her. Forgot even her pain and her bleeding.

Having received no reply to her previous inquiry, the councilor pressed further.

"You know no pain. You know no mercy-"

"You know no failure. You know no regrets," Voreka recited the rest. "You only know this moment and to whom you owe your life. I have not forgotten."

"And yet you have dispatched a grievous disgrace on us. Allowing yourself to be controlled by _men_! Where is your pride, your claimed desire not to be looked down upon by males?"

Voreka bowed her head bitterly. "I know no excuse."

"You know the penalty."

She nodded once, mutely, not daring to look up.

"If, by a majority of votes, you can be subject to recessing back to the Academy, to be stripped of your status as a shinobi, or to even be…banished," the councilor chose to confirm it to her anyway.

"Councilor Taikuna! I plead you mercy for Mezhari's sake! She is my apprentice, any shortcomings on her part, I will account for. It was due to my suggestion that she had been allowed to undertake this year's Chuunin exam. Please let her off this once."

Voreka didn't need to look to know whose voice it belonged to. She knew the person owned a mane of god-touched gold, and their village's modified headband over both eyes, marking her as one of the Jounin, an elite ninja of the Night. Hideka, her closest friend and mentor, would no doubt be the first one to defend her in any event.

A long, intense gaze was forged between the two high ranking women. The councilor knew better than to demote one of their most competent shinobi in the Lost Night. "I will leave you to deal with the consequences of her misadventure, then." She turned with a sweep of her cloak, symbolizing that the decision was final. "But, remember, Hideka; if Mezhari is to become anything more than your apprentice, you can't project her forever." A small layer of dust rose from the ground as Taikuna disappeared from view. The others took their cue and did so as well.

An awkward silence descended. Her sensei didn't turn to face her.

"Hidaka-sensei, I-I-…"

"She is right. How much longer do I have to keep bailing you out of trouble?"

Voreka swallowed.

"I'm…I'm sorry…"

_W-wait…this isn't right…! I'm supposed to be breaking myself free of this genjutsu! What am I doing, sinking in like this? _

"I had faith in you. It looks like you're not ready for the exam after all." Those cold, quiet words stole back her momentary clear-headedness.

"Hideka…"

"The strength of the village is measured by the strength of its shinobi, and not the number of shinobi it hosts. I thought I had taught you that."

Yes…

"One crack in the diamond will give chance enough for its impeccable defense to be split. This village needs no liability. No one does."

She knew where this was going. Braced herself for it.

"Mezhari, from the looks of it, you cannot be depended upon to safe keep the secrets and the values of the Night. You. are weak."

Pain.

Those words again.

Why are they…

Everywhere.

_Don't leave me…_

Her hands clenched tightly, her knuckles turned white, and that was when she was reminded of the throbbing pain in her left hand, damp with sweat and blood. Oh, that's right; she was still trapped in his genjutsu.

A silent rage poured over her. Chakra surged through her arms.

_I'll kill you._

The anger helped her snap back into her right mind. She had extracted the kunai from where she kept it and had plunged it into the cushion of her left shoulder, a non vital area. Fresh pain burned a track down her arm and up her neck, but it worked.

_Tsch. No wonder he can tell where I am. This blood. _

Voreka blinked up at the pitch blackness of her previous jutsu. So it had been a genjutsu he used on her after all, even in this dark. She turned slowly, hearing nothing but the sound of her own breath.

"I'll know where you are if you move," she said to herself. "No wonder I couldn't sense you before. That was just an illusion."

"…You hear that? Don't move." Itachi's voice, reasonable, confident, somewhere behind her. And a grunt, presumably Kisame, far off to one side.

She went at him. He sidestepped first her swing, then her back-sidekick. No one could see in her dark-summoning jutsu, but a smirk of satisfaction tugged at the corner of his lips. Yes. What a difference. Her speed, her intensity. The intention behind each attack. He could feel it like a caress on his skin.

_Damn it! How can he dodge all my hits in this dark? Am I really miscalculating this much? _She refused to deepen her breathing rhythm, wary that it would reflect on her tiredness. Making a small pause in her offense, Voreka listened carefully for his movements. It didn't help that he was only avoiding her attacks, and not returning her tokens of appreciation.

"You may be able to use a weaker version your village's renowned jutsu, but you don't have the Jounin's offensive skill to go with it."

She spun around. He caught her fist with his hand. She blocked his uppercut with her free arm. But he was stronger. Much, much stronger. That fact that she was getting overpowered made it easy for him to trip her cleanly off her feet with a sweep of his leg. She hit the ground hard, dried twigs digging into her back as she gasped for breath.

"…It's over."

Voreka felt him shift away. "I am. not. weak." Abruptly, she clasped her hands together in her jutsu release seal. She was wasting chakra like this. Apparently her jutsu wasn't a high enough level to overcome his Sharingan. At once, the perfect darkness melted away into the natural night sky. She rose, a bit shakily, to her feet, readying the bloody kunai in her right hand.

He didn't even look back as she flung the kunai at his back. He leaned to one side, avoiding it easily. However, having not expected what happened next, he couldn't react in time to dodge the blade completely as it pivoted back at him. For the first time in a long while Itachi felt the kiss of pain on his elbow as the kunai struck into his flesh. Expressionless, he felt the handle, sensing a current of spiraling air compressed into the size of a thin rope. So, that's how she was able to manipulate the flight of the blade.

"That's not all," Voreka declared firmly. Tapping into her chakra reserve, she performed her seals single-handedly, at an incredulous speed, her other hand grasping the end of the wind-chakra string. Chakra poured out from her hands at an astonishing rate, shooting down the length of her wind-chakra string faster than the eye could follow.

The effect was immediate. The crimson of his eyes blinked out even as he tore himself free from her jutsu's clutches. He seemed interested in watching himself bleed. Then his dark, blank eyes turned to her.

"…So, that's the Soul Eater."

She matched his disinterested tone. "Let me return your chakra back to you," she stated sarcastically, forming a single seal with her hands. Keeping her eyes on her target, she took several deep breaths before gathering sufficient chakra to force a great blast of wind from her lips. Everything that was loose or not strong enough to hold flew with her gale, and there was many a snapping of branches and toppling of trees.

_That's it…I can't do any more than this…I can't win…_

A sharp stab of pain in her right shoulder blade. Her breath labored.

_…because this man is… a monster...!_

Itachi pressed the kunai harder into her back. She held back a hiss. "Still not-…enough-…" his voice sounded next to her ear, between puffs of breath. He, too, seemed to have reached his limit, but she knew when to give up, if she valued her life.

_Not enough…? Enough what?_

"…Why are you weak?" he added, more of a taunt than anything else. Well, _he_ recovered his composure fast enough. He caught her arm as she attempted to elbow him.

"Does this mean you wish to continue fighting…?"

Voreka didn't answer him. She felt him lean closer so that he was practically hovering over her from behind. "…Such cowardice, and you call yourself a ninja…" he whispered softly. Her hands balled up into fists at that, but he only let out a barely audible _'heh'. _"That's not what I meant."

He didn't bother to explain what he meant, and she didn't need him to. She knew. And somehow, she knew his guess was right on. Somehow he knew. Was it because of the genjutsu? Was she that obvious? Her heart was drumming in her ears.

Itachi released her, moving away without a glance back. Although she did hear him say nonchalantly, "You're going to bleed to death." Ah, shit. That's when she realized. The wound on her shoulder blade. Bastard stabbed her where she couldn't heal herself, on purpose!

_Heh. It's not like I'm not running dangerously low on chakra anyway._

Her vision was getting dull at the edges.

_I never for one moment was deluded enough to think that I was the best._

_But I thought I was good._

_Damned good._

Kisame stepped into view, but she couldn't see his expression because she knew she'd get dizzier if she looked up.

_Heh, what a laugh. _

_I hate how pathetic I look, now._

_But more than that…_

_I hate him._


	5. Suffer alone

A/N: Didn't think Itachi was easy, now did we? ;) What will draw these two adversaries together? Eh heh heh heh.

Miranda: complex is good o-o I mean erm…it's good you like complexity! I have a feeling you'll enjoy what's to come, a bit further into the story!

* * *

Chapter 5 – "Suffer alone."

Day two. Kisame noticed, with wry amusement, that the two kept a constant buffer zone between them, with him being in the center of their imaginary arena. The girl kept a wary eye on Itachi, which he blatantly ignored, although it was obvious that he didn't intend on attacking her. He noticed her flinch every time the Sharingan user turned around to address him, but he found it remarkable that her involuntary action was not due to fear of the black-haired man. No, if she was afraid, he would be able to sense her fear rippling off her. There was caution, alright, caution and…distain.

The distain he could understand easily, but the lack of morbid fear… Who wouldn't know what they're dealing with, having looked into those fatal, red eyes?

Yet, Itachi had been behaving out of character with the girl. Kisame didn't even have to know the man as well as he did to be able to tell that he was intentionally provoking Voreka. He had half the mind to question his partner about that…when the time is right.

There was something foreboding with the wordless silence they basked in as they traveled through the woods.

Even so, he found himself somewhat entertained by both their efforts to make as if nothing was amiss. From experience, he knew that Itachi needed to rest properly, and soon, after having exerted so much energy over the past few days. The girl, well, the fact that she hadn't closed her wounds yet, said enough.

He snorted inwardly. Yeah, something was definitely up with those two.

---

She felt sick.

Sometime during the night, clouds had moved in to enclose the sky. A dark, ominous layer of clouds which reflected her mood. They offered no reprieve from the suffocating heat. She was tired. Very tired.

It was the first time in a long while that she had to push herself so hard.

She had, with some help from Kisame, cleaned the wounds, not having enough chakra left to try and close them. However, she did use chakra to induce blood clot in her injured hand so that she wouldn't seriously bleed to death with her heart pumping hard from all the traveling.

Voreka stole a glance beside her. He might not think she noticed, but she knew Kisame had been checking on her progress every so often. She knew she should be appreciative for his concern, but…there was her pride. She didn't need his pity. No.

_…Still not enough…_ The words came, unbidden, inside her mind.

Not enough of what? Strength? Speed? It hadn't even been a fair fight, damn it! Goddess, if she still had possession of her throwing needles…

_Tsch. You would what…? _the voice in her conscience prodded. _You think you can defeat him? I don't think so! Great job you did trying just that, last night, when the guy was practically worn out. And you couldn't even better him then…_

No, she thought with a frown. Where did that come from? With weapons, she could at least have a better chance at…escaping. Why would she need to…defeat anyone?

_…Right. Just get a hold of some weapons first. _

_…Right…_

Her pace slowed. Her lungs were really starting to kill her. Kisame was beside her when she bent over the ground, coughing nonstop.

"Itachi-san…" she heard him trail off before she steadied herself.

"I'm fine," Voreka told him fixedly. Kisame didn't seem to acknowledge hearing her speak, and she followed his gaze. Itachi stood still, his back to them, bracing himself with one hand against the trunk of the tree he stopped in.

Kisame reappeared suddenly beside the shorter man. She could barely make out the words spoken in low tones.

"…if we get attacked again, it would be Jounins, not Chuunins like last time."

A long pause before the black haired man replied with a simple, "…I know."

"…And the girl…?" Kisame inquired cautiously.

Itachi blinked. He _blinked!_ As if he'd totally forgotten she'd existed. Then he looked at her, eyes languid and unfeeling. "…Very well. Let's rest at this town for tonight."

Not this again.

"Tsch. You don't need to stop for _me._ I just need a couple of minutes to catch my breath."

He ignored her.

Taking up his backpack, he dropped from the tree, calmly resuming his leading position.

"You shouldn't push yourself so hard," Kisame scolded, growling. Of course, it was directed at her. She said nothing. At same stage, he had stopped using his threatening, harsh voice on her. Or maybe she'd just gotten used to it.

"Why does he hate me?" she asked the shark man spontaneously, watching Itachi's back as he walked ahead with the slow, lazy grace characteristic of him.

Kisame raised a brow at her. He opened his mouth to speak, but apparently had second thoughts. The only response she got was a grunt.

---

The town was a nice, tourist town. A _normal _town. She hadn't seen one like it for three years. It didn't mean she could relax just because it wasn't a ninja village. They were still in the Fire Country, which was, to her, devastatingly close to the Water Country, where she was born. Where she had grew up. Where she was hunted.

Unfortunately, being a 'normal' town meant that she received strange looks, for her wounds were clearly still visible, and her clothing had spots of Indian red on it. And since Itachi had been the cause of the injuries in the first place, she glared at him when he narrowed his eyes in annoyance at her from underneath his straw hat.

_What the hell? First, this guy kidnaps me to use me as a tool or something, but he openly criticizes my abilities. Then he practically insults me for not being strong enough to escape him. And now he's _glaring _at me for receiving these wounds which _he _gave me! TSCH, MEN! _

At the first inn they came across, Itachi turned to his sidekick.

"Kisame… Here."

Without another word, the two split up. She knew who she was supposed to follow. So much for getting to know the place.

"…Is there a room with three beds?" Itachi asked in a disinterested tone to the innkeeper at the front desk.

"I'm sorry, Mister, we are a small inn which do not have rooms prepared to accommodate three people. We could, however, provide an extra futon, if you like."

"Yes. That is fine."

"That'd be 7500 for tonight, Sir. If you please, write your name here," the innkeeper held out a pen and indicated to the blank line on his record book.

Calmly, Itachi slid two 10,000 yen banknotes on the table. "…Forget the name," he murmured non-threateningly.

There was a slight hesitation before the innkeeper handed over the keys, peering quizzically at the wide straw hat with the white curtaining which was shielding Itachi's face from view. "Second floor, on the far right, Sir. I'll send someone up in a minute."

Voreka followed Itachi up the narrow flight of stairs, nonetheless still keeping a two yard gap between them. Okay, she knew he wasn't going to attack her or anything without provocation, but really, she didn't want to be anywhere near him.

Upon reaching their rented room, Itachi unlocked the door, giving it a small push to let it creak open on its own. She watched as he stepped inside slowly, first scanning the floorboards, the ceiling, checked the back of the door, and then glanced under the two single beds placed against either side of the rather small room. She waited, patient, as he tested the plain, practical furniture that leaned against the wall, and then went to inspect the small window across from the door. Finally satisfied, he set down his backpack on the unimpressionable white blanket of one of the beds, reaching up one hand to remove his straw hat, putting it down on the bed. Unbuttoning his cloak, he put it aside and reached inside his bag to take out a roll of clean, cloth bandage.

"…Come here."

Voreka sighed inwardly. She knew where this was headed. Closing the door behind her, she went to where he was sitting at the edge of the bed. Bastard was too proper to awkwardly bandage his own arm, was he? Tsch.

She took the bandages from his hand, unrolling it as he held up his arm steadily. Fresh blood trickled down his smooth, fair skin where the wound reopened as he tore the inside of his sleeve away from where it stuck to the dried blood. With practiced skill, she quickly wrapped up the section of his arm, at the elbow, where the kunai had dug a rather angry gash during their little spar.

"…It's too loose. Redo it."

Voreka lifted her eyes to meet his. They exchanged a long, dark stare. She gave in, even though she knew she'd done it perfectly according to her own standards. Unwrapping the bandages lightly, she re-bandaged his arm, like he asked, tighter this time.

"…Too tight. I can't bend my arm."

…

Keeping a calm countenance, she deliberately re-bandaged his arm even tighter. If possible, she would've tried to cut off his circulation, but that would've appeared too obvious. His slender arm was too well toned by muscles to allow easy access.

"…No. Make it tighter."

What the hell? He was just messing with her!

She frowned. "Itachi-san, you're being unreasonable."

He kept his expression pleasantly unimpressed. "…You're the one who caused the wound."

…

Several deep breaths. Didn't help. "Why. you." she seethed out. "Fix it yourself!"

"…Heal it."

"_No." _

One dark, half-covered brow arched. "…Why not?"

Voreka sighed exasperatedly. "Because I don't-!" she caught herself in time and edited her exclamation in mid-sentence. "-want to!"

Itachi didn't look fooled. Shit, she fell for that one, didn't she? Nevertheless, she held his gaze unflinchingly.

"Why don't you just admit that you don't have enough chakra remaining?" he asked in his soft but powerful tone. Almost like he was constantly short of breath. It could get to be annoying.

And she was annoyed, alright. Itachi forestalled her denial by the narrowing his alien red Sharingan eyes. "You're weak."

At which point, having forgotten that she was still holding onto his arm, Voreka dug her nails into his skin. How she despised him then.

_Seriously. This man. URGH!_

Said man looked down at his arm. She realized then that she had been subconsciously trying to crush his bones. Oops. Releasing him quickly, she managed to look unaffected by the perfect crescent marks she'd left on his flawless skin. He'd felt like silk over steel.

"…Why do you try so hard to deny such obvious things?" And he said it, too, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "How pathetic…"

…

"I guess someone like _you,_ a missing nin feared by even the Leafs, can't _possibly_ understand," she remarked nonchalantly. Straightening up, she turned her back to him. She didn't feel the need to explain herself to him.

"…It is not fear of failure which will make you strong."

Voreka was silent before asking, resignedly, "What's your reason for telling me this?"

She heard him get up from the bed.

A knock sounded at the door. Itachi slowly made his way towards it. Fine, don't answer.

"S-sir, here's the futon y-y-you-…that is-…uh…t-the-…" the servant girl looked like she was about to faint. Voreka smiled to herself, secretly sympathizing. Looking that heartbreakingly beautiful should be a sin.

"…Thank you. Good evening," Itachi replied easily, taking the futon from her. The blushed glowingly and made a quick retreat. He closed the door and knelt to spread the futon on the floorboards.

Voreka watched him through drooped eyes. Certainly, she could see how any girl in her right mind would feel attracted to him. He had a lithe build, more man than boy, his frame tall and strong. Yet his sculpturesque features softened his image just enough to make him more enticing than intimidating. His black eyebrows were thin and expressive, partially hidden by his forehead protector. His eyes themselves were exquisite and sensual, even though most of the time devoid of emotion, and the dark dense eyelashes framing them were even longer than hers. There was something irresistible about his lips and the tone of his skin which made her want to touch it.

But that was an urge she could keep in check without hesitation. You see, she's an Amazon. Which meant…

Locks of his midnight black hair fell into his eyes as he crouched. She did have a secret preference for guys who kept long hair.

_Which meant…_

He eyed her lazily, perhaps wondering why she was staring.

_Which meant…_

_…I must be really tired. _

Apparently amused by her attention, Itachi slowly reached a hand to push back his long ponytail over his shoulder, the motion drawing her eyes to his neck. She met his eyes, which he managed to keep pleasantly blank, and gave him a wry smile.

"…What is your full name, Girl?" he questioned softly, rusty red eyes peering up from under his dark eyelashes.

She blinked twice. Uh huh, she knew where he wanted to go with that, as well.

"Voreka. Just Voreka… I'm self-named."

"A peculiar name," he commented.

"…" "I'm not from around here." A lie. She'd rather risk lying than to give away her identity.

"…Really." He rose. She took a step back as he came towards her, his Sharingan twirled as he narrowed his eyes down at her.

"Your disguise is good… Even these eyes of mine cannot pierce it fully…" Itachi admitted nonchalantly. She dreaded the words which she knew would follow. "You have a bloodline limit." It wasn't even a question.

Voreka offered him a blank look. "A bloodline limit?"

"…Yes."

A long and awkward silence. On her part, anyway.

"…Uhm…"

"Hey, Itachi-san, are you there?" It was Kisame's voice which shattered the dramatic tension. Wordlessly, Itachi headed for the door and let the shark man in. Kisame glanced at the nail marks she'd caused on the man's arm. He glanced at her, but kept his thoughts to himself.

"Here." He tossed a bundle of black to her. Curious, Voreka shook it out. It was a garment of flexible, sturdy fabric, more robe than tunic. She saw Kisame give her an apologetic shrug. Maybe she could get him to lend her a kunai to slice the hem shorter.

"I'm going to change."

When neither of the two reacted to her statement, she shrugged and headed out of the room in search of the bathroom.

---

Kisame placed his sword against the wall when the door closed behind her. He set down the grocery on the only, small table in the room, sensing that there was something Itachi wanted to say even though his eyes weren't turned to him. No, his eyes were still fixed on the closed door.

"…You're too soft on her."

"You didn't want me to get her a change of clothes?"

Itachi walked to the edge of one of the two beds and sat down, resting his elbows on his knees, a frown of concentration darkening his eyes.

"…She does not seem to be very afraid of us. That will have to change."

Kisame treaded carefully on the topic. Itachi could be very unpredictable.

"But it's rare for someone to behave relatively at ease with us, is it not, Itachi-san?" the shark man asked casually. "Is that why…she's still with us…?" Of course he could tell that there must be a reason why Itachi chose to keep the girl with them. An extra ninja body that can perform the textbook Henge no Jutsu was not hard to find.

Blood red eyes turned to him impassively. "I'm simply testing her potential."

"Potential?"

"…" Itachi left it at that, staring ahead at nothing particular. "Those wind techniques she used were awkward," he murmured thoughtfully. "Self-taught. Not the ones of her original village." A pause. "…Find out where she's from."

Kisame grunted. "I don't understand this interest in her. What is this 'potential' that you speak of?"

Itachi seemed to ponder this, resting his lips against his entwined fingers.

After a long moment of consideration, he finally explained, "…A potential to stall my little brother while we deal with Orochimaru" He left Kisame to interpret the meaning for himself.

---

By the time she returned, toweling her wet hair and rolling up her sleeves, both men were waiting for her, kneeling on the mats at adjacent sides of the low table. She saw Kisame glance at Itachi upon her entrance, but the black haired man did not lift his gaze from the table.

At Kisame's bidding, Voreka went and seated herself across from him. Even though that placed her closer than Itachi than she'd liked, there really wasn't anywhere else to go, the room wasn't all that big. Kisame passed around plastic containers with dumplings and disposable wooden chopsticks. "I hope you don't mind vegetarian."

Voreka made no comment. The atmosphere was already pretty rigid as it is, and it was going to take more than just her efforts to change that.

"So, Voreka," Kisame addressed her casually, picking up his chopsticks, "What grievous crime did you commit which branded you as a missing nin?"

She had to smile at that. In fact, she even let out a chuckle, which earned her a curious look from the shark man.

"Kisame-san, you won't find me in any wanted list. My only crime against my village was to run away, and no one misses me. Why don't you be more direct?"

She speared her dumplings on her chopstick while waiting for him to work around the momentary awkwardness. Unmannerly, yes, but it wasn't her fault that there's like a fricken gap in her left hand, which meant she couldn't hold her bowl properly.

Kisame grunted. "Right, just checking to see if there are any hunters nins, from whatever village, we should be wary of."

Voreka smiled knowingly at his attempt to find out which village she was from. "I thank you for your consideration, Kisame-san, but there really isn't any need to worry for me. Like I said, no one misses me."

He scowled. "You are naïve if you think that. There will be hunter nins sent after you anyway, to burn your corpse after they've killed you, to rid of your village's secrets from your body."

She waited until she swallowed to reply to that. "…Unless you weren't worth the effort…" She spoke quietly, aware that Itachi gave her a sidelong glance upon hearing those words. "Tsch. Trust me, if they had any reason to worry about me, I wouldn't be before you at this moment." Well, it was a half truth. She didn't mention that for the past three years, she'd not taken a step outside of the Night's borders, a tiny, secluded peninsula at the edge of the Wind Country.

"…" "Where did you learn your Wind Techniques from, then?" Kisame pressed.

Voreka lowered her eyes and feigned disinterest. "I'm a seal-stealer," she answered, "I pick up what I can."

The shark man grunted in acknowledgement. "Curious, the summoning seals of that wind shuriken technique was oddly like the ones of my village. I've seen a few capable ninjas use those seals, admittedly with variations in between." At this point, he seemed to be talking more to himself, which was a relief, considering… "There was one-… Who was it-…Yeah, the kid who used to be with Zabuza, he used the same ones to conjure water chakra needles after trapping his opponents in that bloodline limit jutsu he had."

…

"Say, how did you come to know that technique, anyway?" He was being conversational. She knew it. But he had come close. Way too close. Shit, there was no way she could talk around this one.

Reaching her hands up to her temples, she faked drowsiness. Chakra flowed out from the tips of her fingers. She was going to have to make herself fall asleep instantly. Hopefully it would be believable enough.

_"I know I can't use them yet, but someday, I will be able to! Show me again, show me again!" _

_"…Mezhari-chan, shouldn't you be practicing the jutsu they taught you at the Academy?"_

_Haku-kun._

* * *

Sometime during the night, she woke – with a tremendous amount of effort. Experience told her that she had forced herself awake because her body detected a possible threat. She peered into the dark groggily, trying to recall where she was. Apparently she had been sleeping on a bed, lying on her left side and subconsciously trying to keep from pressing weight against the wound on her right shoulder blade. What she saw, because she was facing the wall in her position, was…a large black spider crawling down the whitewashed wall towards her.

A fricken black widow spider.

Voreka turned, unaware that she was already balanced dangerously at the edge of the bed. She fell, taking coverings and all with her, landing face-first on top of someone who was lying beside her bed.

Actually, he caught her before she hit him, by her arms.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed in a whisper, blinking to keep her eyes open even though her heart pounded loudly in her ears. Shit, she was too exhausted to counter her own spell. For all she knew, someone had been napping on the floor next to her bed, and it wasn't a pleasant surprise.

The red of his eyes glowed eerily in the dark.

"…The bed too high for you, Girl?"

She frowned down at the soft feathery voice, with the masculine power underlining it. It was a male, a male who looked familiar, and try as she might, she couldn't place his image anywhere in her mind.

He was so pretty…

Again, she frowned. Something didn't feel right. What was she…forgetting…?

Shifting in his grip, Voreka attempted to roll aside, but a sharp pain in her right shoulder blade made her reconsider her hastiness. She vaguely remembered receiving wounds…from something…

Mesmerized by the ghostly light dancing across his skin, she drew her fingers along his chin, next to his mouth. Then she remembered.

"There's a black widow on my bed. Help me off."

He met her eyes steadily. It was like one of those dreams where you speak, but you weren't sure if anyone could hear your words. Maybe she _was _dreaming; it sure felt like one.

She felt him slip an arm around her waist, and he lifted her off of his body, setting her down to the side. He smelled good. A scent she couldn't place. She watched curiously as he got up, soundlessly, his dark lithe form leaning over to inspect her claim. As if sensing this speculation, the spider stopped dead in its tracks, and even backed away a few centimeters. Reaching both hands, he cupped the spider in calmly, and then silently treaded his way to the window where he let it go free outside before shutting the shutters.

"…You…touched…" Voreka started to say when he turned back. _"…That was a poisonous spider!"_ she whispered fiercely, unsure of why she was even whispering.

"…You afraid of the unknown, Girl?"

She cocked her head at his unexpected question. Did she miss something? "…The unknown…?" she repeated, uncomprehending.

Since his back was now to the light from the window, all she could see was his silhouette, and the livid drops of red which were his eyes.

"…The unknown," he confirmed, and his voice sounded different this time. "…The deadly, and the poisonous… The secret, and the hidden…" The man drew closer, and there was definitely something luscious with his tone. Her heart pounded loudly as he leaned down, slowly, and whispered directly into her ear.

"…The truth, and the capacity…."

She didn't know how to reply to that. Heck, she didn't know what the hell he was saying. He, himself, by leaning over her, was incredibly distracting. He was like a dark guardian angel, his presence filling up the space with the promise of strength and security. She wanted to draw him closer, but still, something told her it wasn't right.

There was the nagging suspicion that she _should_ be able to recognize this man.

She was pondering that, and it was only when she felt him slip his arms under her knees and back did she realize that she'd dozed off. He placed her back onto the bed, and even fixed her blankets for her while she struggled to keep her mind turning.

"Wait." Voreka grabbed hold of his ponytail as he turned to leave her bedside. He stared at her. She couldn't decipher his expression in the dark, and she even tried to draw him closer because of it, causing him to lean forward.

"I don't-…understand-…the question…" She stifled a yawn, feeling her eyelids getting heavier.

"…" "I can make you…powerful," he spoke confidentially, close enough that she could feel his breath brush her skin.

"Is that true?" she asked sleepily.

Itachi let out a small, enigmatic smirk. The girl had already gone back to her deep slumber.

"…All I have to do…is to change everything you are."


	6. Spare me your heart and your woe

A/N: Hmm…what exactly does Itachi-san have in mind for her? It doesn't sound very promising.

Note: I'm not sure if Ino's/Shikamaru's/etc.'s fathers are Chuunin or Jounin, so I assumed Chuunin…because they apparently don't have apprentices.

Macabre Memorial: o.o

Miranda: Yay I get to be awesome xD;; I mean erm- I'm trying my best to live up to your expectations ;)

Thank you for reading, Itachi fans!

* * *

Chapter 6 – "Spare me your heart and your woe"

Naturally, she remembered none of this in the morning. She had the feeling that she'd woken once during the night, but since her sleep spell had been designed to make victims forget who had made them fall asleep, she herself couldn't recall what had made her use her jutsu on herself.

But she didn't like the way Kisame kept grinning.

"So, did you get a good night's rest?" he chirped, setting down a basket of fresh fruits and dates on the table. She saw Itachi fix the man with a slow, unfathomable glare, which Kisame seemingly was oblivious of.

"…I'm sorry, was I snoring or…something?" Voreka asked flatly. It made Kisame grin wider. She decided maybe she didn't want to know.

She did her morning stretch, wincing from time to time, but she had enough chakra restored by then to close up her remaining wounds. Except the one on her back she couldn't quite reach properly.

"Itachi-san-…" Voreka trailed off when she saw the wound on his arm was gone, likely he healed it himself.

…

So he could've healed it himself all along.

Tsch. Yeah, she was starting to like him more and more.

"Voreka, yo." Kisame's voice snapped her back to the present. "Breakfast; good for you."

She picked out a tangerine from the basket he held out to her and started peeling it absentmindedly. "I remember we were talking about something before everything blacked out, did I miss anything?"

"Oh, that." He dumped half the basket next to her. Plums, strawberries, and dates rolled onto the bed sheets. "Eat. We were discussing about where you picked up your interesting wind techniques."

She paused for a heartbeat in her task of dividing her tangerine into quarters. The way he had said it…as if he knew about them not being the ones taught to her by her initial village, where she was born and raised

"The Lost Night keeps its secrets," she replied easily, which was the most convenient lie she could find. "Like clarified before, we are jutsu thieves. I don't know who stole them nor where they're from," she explained, choosing her words carefully, "but now and then we get…trained."

Fortunately, he let it go at that, turning to the black haired man seated cross-legged facing away from them, on the other bed.

"Itachi-san, it'll only take the fastest hunter-nins a little more than a day to reach us. That is, if they bothered to send any. Even so, it'll be bothersome to deal with a whole team of them."

"…I know."

A moment of silence. Well, not literally silent; damn dates were pretty loud when she was munching on them.

"…Let's move out," he finally spoke, eyes narrowing absently on the wall opposite of him.

Voreka waited, relaxing on her bed while the two men repacked their backpacks. She didn't need to worry about forgetting anything, except her scroll, the one she'd stolen. She gazed down at it then. Was it…worth it? To go through all these complications in able to become a Chuunin?

_But of course…_the voice in her mind countered readily as soon as the question went through. _You want to be sent on missions, don't you? You want to be able to actually _do_ something for your village, right? The village with your sisters who accepted you, helped you, and showed you what you can do. _

_And more importantly…_

_…_

_…don't you want to…avenge him…?_

She rubbed the ridge of her nose.

…

Must stay calm. She'll find a way out of this predicament somehow.

_Okay. I know a bit about each of their weaknesses. Well, at least, I know what techniques to avoid using. All I need…is a little more patience…and…some trust from their side…_

"You two ate already?" Voreka asked suspiciously when Kisame waited for her at the door. Itachi had already gone ahead. For some reason that caused him to grin again.

"You slept in. I ate when I went to get you some breakfast. Itachi went for his, before me."

"I slept in? Ack, sorry, you could've woken me earlier!"

"You're complaining?" Kisame gave her a mock scowl.

"No." She grinned, gathering herself quickly to follow. "You should let me do it more often."

Ahead of them, before going down the flight of stairs, Itachi drew his straw hat over his head. Beside her, Kisame did the same. Ha, at least she didn't need to bother with something like that. She was confident in her disguise genjutsu enough to believe that no pair of eyes can see through her mask.

_But then that means…_

Voreka frowned thoughtfully at the back of the Sharingan wielder, trying to jog her memory.

_Didn't he tell me the previous evening that he couldn't see through to my real traits? _

_But then that means…_

_That time…his genjutsu…_

_…How?_

_I knew it. That wasn't an ordinary genjutsu, which would have been targeted at the five superficial senses alone. Somehow, he manipulated my emotions and response directly, so that it was my own mind which improvised for what he made me feel. This man…to be this dangerous… I even. feel a bit of. _

_Fear._

"Good day, Sirs, Miss," the innkeeper bade them farewell. She was the only one who waved back.

It was a nice day out. She felt a chill nonetheless. The two men with her were drawing curious eyes with their suspicious attire. She wasn't comfortable being in the center of all the attention, realizing that, in a way, she looked like a captive, being flanked by the two of them front and side. Then again, it was the truth, wasn't it?

Stop. She'll _not_ think of outside help. A ninja must adapt to synchronize teamwork as well as to be self-sufficient outside of a team. No one can help her. No one will remember her. No one gives a damn.

The life of the ninja.

She saw Itachi turn his head ever so slightly to the side, and Kisame reached up one hand to slant his straw hat down further over his forehead in response.

Voreka realized it was a warning that Itachi gave to his comrade, who acknowledged to having known already. What was it about? Suspicious that she'll attempt to seek help? …Tsch.

She took in the town, scanning with her peripheral vision, more out of curiosity than desperation. Was there someone near them who was putting the two on guard?

"Girl."

Itachi's voice. It took her a whole five seconds to realize that he was holding his arm out to her. No, it was not a fighting stance or a seal formation. He was simply offering her an arm. No, she did not quite comprehend what he was doing.

"…Uhm. Is something wrong with your arm, Itachi-san?" she questioned in a whisper, keeping up with his pace.

He gave her a long, unsupportive stare. "…Take my arm."

…

It dawned on her then. Not only did he breach the two yard barrier they had between them the previous day, but he also wanted her to _hold onto his arm_ so that he could ensure that she wasn't going anywhere?

"Itachi-san, that is a bit unnec-" The rest of her words dissolved in the acidity of his gaze.

"…But that means I have to_ touch_ you!" She had meant to say it sweetly, in a sarcastic way. Except, with her horror at the prospect, it came out rather shrill.

"…" Expressionless. He was expressionless, under the curtains of his straw hat. It made it hard to confirm the validity of his next words. "…You had no qualm about doing so last night."

Again, it didn't sink in immediately. The idea was so absurd.

"What are you saying? You lie." She turned to Kisame, on the other side of her. "He's lying." She didn't even bother to make it a question. The shark man shot her another one of those silly, ambiguous grins he'd been giving her all morning.

Voreka turned back to Itachi, not amused. "You're lying," she repeated herself dryly, eyes suspicious. Tsch, she was being ridiculous, getting all worked up. Of course it was a lie. It couldn't be true.

…

No, it couldn't be true.

Without further comment, it was Itachi who reached across the gap between them to clasp her hand, intertwining their fingers. No, she did not see that coming, and was not prepared to prevent it. It was perhaps intentional that he was on her left side, and therefore it was her left hand which he imprisoned in his grip, tight enough that she could detect his pulse. Or was it her pulse? If she was any more humble, she'd mention that even though appearance wise her hand was healed, it still hurt terribly when he was clenching it so hard.

Tsch.

"Whose suspicious eyes are you trying to ward off? You don't think this act is actually believable, do you?" she hissed quietly, keeping a blank, polite face ahead.

"…" His crimson eyes turned to her; she could feel his gaze even though the strips of white fabric dangling from his hat curtained his face from view. Such was the intensity of his eyes. "…But you do not fear me." He paused, as if waiting for a contradiction. "…That is sufficient."

…

She'd hate to correct him on that.

Voreka bit back a frown. This man. Seriously.

He pisses her off.

---

They had lodged in the outskirts of the tourist town, and as soon as she suspected they were out of the range of ordinary eyes, Voreka tried to release her hand. He wouldn't let go. She shook it.

"Uhm. I think you can let go of me, now." Nonetheless, she said that quietly, just in case she was missing something. As far as she could tell, they were re-entering the woods, and there was no reason for him to continue crushing her hand.

"…" "Itachi-san?" Did he not hear her? "You can-"

"You can show yourself! We know you're following us!"

Voreka blinked in surprise at Kisame's roar. Who-…?

"Impressive," a voice interrupted her thought. There was a sudden movement in air, and a silent figure landed on the ground ahead of them. A bold move. He spoke – it was a male's voice – and his voice vibrated due to the fact that he was wearing a mask. His mask. Her arm twitched involuntarily. If Itachi felt it, he gave away nothing.

"Then again," the dark haired man said, "that would be expected of the once-shinobi of the Village of the Hidden Mist, Hoshigaki Kisame, and…" The stranger cocked his head to one side, unable to identify the other man with Kisame with all the concealment. "…" "What a potent amount of destructive power. Indubitably an S-rank missing nin like my kinsman here."

The last line, she didn't quite catch. Suspicion and dread had already gnawed its way through her control over her mind.

_No. No way. He said that as if he can detect Itachi-san's power, without him having to draw it out! Could that mean that he's-_

"A hunter nin of the Mist, eh?" Kisame reached up to grasp the hilt of his sword. "Then, he's mine."

…

Stillness. Voreka realized that the shark man was waiting for Itachi's reaction.

He let go of her hand, reaching up to lift his straw hat away from his head, offering the hunter nin a good look at his face above the brim of his cloak.

"…" "I see. I can't take on the both of you."

"I'll fight you one on one!" Kisame declared, grinning bloodthirstily as he swung his sword to the front.

"…" "Nor am I here to deal with you, Hoshigaki."

"…Why are you here?" Itachi asked lowly, dangerously.

With a small inclination of his head, the hunter nin acknowledged the Sharingan wielder's authority over the rest.

"I'm but here to find out about the girl's relationship with the two of you."

It was as she had feared.

Three pairs of eyes turned to her. Two unreadable, one incredulous. Kisame grunted his skepticism.

"Voreka? What about her?"

"We've been searching for her for almost five years," the hunter nin answered unhurriedly. Although he mentioned her in third person, Voreka had no doubt that he was speaking directly to her. "It was by chance that I spotted the renowned Hoshigaki after the completion of my mission in this town, his Samehada was a dead giveaway. So I decided to follow him for a bit…but I never expected to see _her_ with him. A-rank missing nin, murderess of a clan leader and a dozen Chuunin of the Mist. Kin slayer, thief, and traitor."

"…Is that…who I am?" Voreka managed a quiet, steady question. She suspected she knew who it was. The hunter nin had to be from her clan, after all, to be able to recognize individuals' chakra, and had to be someone who knew her from before, to be able to tell who she was.

"You can't fool me with your transformation. I recognize your energy. So you still live. On behalf of our clan, I am here to-"

"I know why you're here," she interrupted scathingly, eager to cut him off. Already she was channeling chakra into her arms, feeling the familiar tingling sensation on her skin, especially at where the pressure points are located. "…Itachi-san…"

She glanced at the still man beside her. He kept his eyes firmly on the hunter nin, and made no response. Kisame would take his cue from Itachi, and Itachi seemed willing to let her play this out.

"…" The hunter nin was quiet for a moment, most likely sizing her up. "Who are these people to you? You only have to let me know, and I'll rescue you from them."

She blinked. Then she laughed. She didn't know which prospect she found funnier: that he thought she shared bonds with her kidnappers, or that he expects her to actually believe him.

"Drop your façade, you're not fooling me!" Voreka frowned and brought her hands together, her choices of seals to use racing chaotically through her head.

_Steady, stay calm. Panicking will only interfere with your seal activating. _

"Fortunately for you, I don't plan to run away this time," she declared, lowering her voice threateningly. "I don't plan on…letting you get back knowing I'm still alive."

**_Wind Element: Wind Cage!_**

The hunter nin shot up as violent currents of air grasped the space where he stood a split second before. Shit, he was a fast one.

…Shit.

Her fingers flew automatically in the formation of seals, in one of the many patterns she'd memorized from the long list of wind techniques they've studied at the Night Academy. A wavering wall of condensed air sprung up before her, in time to suspend the spray of throwing needles the hunter nin sent at her.

"Tsch." With a wave of her hand, she forcefully returned the needles to him, which he promptly averted by flattening himself against the ground.

"You misunderstand my intentions. I am not here to kill you."

"And you misunderstand me, kinsman. I do not intend to believe anything you say," Voreka stated and trained her eyes on him carefully. She wasn't expecting an answer. She was waiting for him to attack.

The hunter nin shook his head, causing her to tense. Her eyes darted around suspiciously. It was probable that the motion was a distraction.

"Loricha, Mezhari. Go home."

Confusion. Disbelief. Fear. An absolute blockage in her mind. Two thoughts hit her simultaneously. One; his request was impossible to meet. Two;

_…It's going to be a bit harder to gain their trust after this…_

Even as she was thinking this, she heard Kisame's incredulous voice tear through the uncanny silence.

"Loricha…? She's of _that _Loricha clan?"

Neither of them chose to reply to that.

"I cannot fathom why you would try to ask such a thing of me," Voreka directed her skepticism at the hunter nin from her original clan. "Unless Mother is dead. And even so…" She shot him an uncanny smile. "Aren't I an A-Class missing nin? Nothing awaits me at 'home' except certain death."

"…It was your mother, herself, who issued the demand for your return. She has already made plans to get you a pardon for your crimes, should you oblige. What say you, Mezhari-san? The two of us can deal with them." By _'Them'_, he was referring to the two bystanders some distance behind her, as casually as one would comment on the weather. "I'll protect you with my life."

She was stunned. It was beyond comprehension. Possibilities of what might've happened to bring about such a change of heart on her mother's part sped past her conscious thought. They were quickly out-ruled. It was too inexplicable. Too good to be true.

"…You hesitate," the hunter nin noted. "So you aren't traveling with these two S-Class criminals by your own will, after all."

Voreka let out a wry smile, amused that she'd almost let herself be tricked so easily. "What I do is none of your concern. Either way, I would not go 'home'. A roof over my head does not make a 'home'."

_Let's see…he's a Mist hunter nin. I can expect water jutsu from him. This will get… tricky. _

"Pity," he replied tonelessly. "She mentioned that if that be the case, I will have to-…" He spun, clasping his hands in a seal as he did so. Waves of power washed across her skin. The hunter nin was releasing an enormous amount of chakra. Droplets of water hit her, and rather abruptly Voreka found herself right at the eye of a widening gyre of blasting rain and wind, freezing cold rain which should've turned snow if it were natural.

_Goddess…this jutsu is-! _

Voreka reached up and pressed two fingers against her closed eyelids, feeling her irises swirl into their true roseate color. She examined the miniature hurricane hissing around her. His chakra was everywhere. Everywhere. She couldn't pinpoint where he was hiding within the fast moving cyclone, for he was moving with it. She was in the process of forming her seals to conjure a protective barrier, but he beat her speed.

Voreka bit back a wince as the four, long needles shot out suddenly from somewhere amongst the chaos and sank deep into the back of her left shoulder. Her realization crept over her, and the cold on her skin was nothing in comparison to the fear she felt within. He had targeted – and had struck – the brachial plexus of her left arm. It wasn't pain she felt coursing through the length of her arm. No, she couldn't feel it _at all_. The special ninja needles had hit the points in network of nerves of her left arm, disabling it from sending signals to, and from responding to, her mind.

Basically, he'd just rendered her left arm temporarily useless.

_Tsch. You should've known what to expect from someone who'd been in the same class as you. Damn it, you just let your panicking get the better of you! _

She broke through the skin on her right thumb with her teeth, and with the same motion knelt down and pressed her hand on the ground.

**_Earth Element: Fortress!_**

A rumbling of the ground beneath her feet. A moment later, it was as if the world went quiet. She knew, however, that the violent windstorm still raged outside of the walls of solid earth enclosing her within them. She also knew that it would not take long for the hunter nin to break through those walls with one jutsu or another. It didn't hurt when she plucked out the needles from her shoulder, but as soon as they were gone a numbing sensation was felt throughout the region. Her umpteenth surprise today. The needles.

_Poisonous._

And not the kind that she could get rid of by bloodletting.

_Calm. Stay calm. At least you have both arms back, just lay off the left for a bit. _

An ugly crunching sound disrupted her moment of silence.

…_I'm going to die._

Voreka threw her arms over her head as great spikes of ice jabbed through her walls of solid earth, shattering it as they pressed in on all sides. The sharp ends of ice stopped mere inches away from her body.

…

She didn't need to test it to know that it wasn't normal ice. He had used his chakra to turn the water in his cyclone into ice. A cage of ice so thick that she could just barely make out his form standing on the outside, although she could see that the spikes pointed at her were unnaturally clear. Furthermore, by then she was pretty sure who he was, and from which branch of the Loricha clan he belonged to. Any jutsu she could try in the small amount of space given her inside her cage would be extremely risky, the likelihood of backfiring far outweighing the possibility of success.

Sighing in resignation, she did the only thing left for her to do.

"Your name was Waya, wasn't it? I can see how you've actually made it to being a hunter nin. You have improved much." Her voice echoed strangely inside the ice. It was cold.

"As did you, Mezhari-san. I doubt you would find yourself unwelcome back home, now." "…" He paused, aware that what he said was not out of possible hearing range of the two other shinobi standing apart from them, although there was quite the distance between them. "…What do you say?" the hunter nin added, more quietly. "I cannot do this without your cooperation."

The increasing awareness of cold and the shortage of breath told her that she didn't have much time to ponder over his offer. She had a limited amount of air within her cage.

Plus…any longer and…the poison will…

"We were once classmates, Waya. We were friends. Yet you would force this upon me. You _know_ why I would not return there."

…

"…We were friends," the brown haired hunter nin finally replied, voice giving nothing away. "But this is the Clan's order."

"…Even if it is to kill a friend?" Voreka fought to remain unmoved. It was getting difficult to breathe, for more than one reason.

"The orders are made for a reason."

Damn. He wasn't going to give.

"I accept. But you're on your own against those two unless you lift this poison. Now." She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling her real irises fade back behind her fake green ones.

Waya contemplated her, giving her a small, meaningful nod before making his release seal. She knew what he meant for her to do. Careful not to cause herself unnecessary injuries, Voreka made sure her back was clear before feigning a collapse. From this distance, it might fool them.

She felt the walls of ice crack and splinter, melting into water before it hit the ground. His footsteps approaching her, and she rose unsteadily to a kneeling position. That part didn't take any pretending.

"One question though…" she said quietly, not looking up as he approached. Not like she could see his expression behind that mask, anyway. "You'll feel no pity, no remorse? Did none of the memories we've shared mean nothing to you?"

"…" "I am a shinobi, Mezhari-san. If it is a mission assigned to me by the clan, I am not to feel anything."

"…Nothing?" she couldn't help but ask again.

"…Nothing."

Before he could react, her fist connected with his jaw, sending him flying to the side. She'd hit him hard enough to crack his hunter nin's mask. He apparently didn't see that coming.

"…Then, I guess that didn't hurt," she told him coldly. "And I'm not above lying."

"…Heh." Waya rose back up slowly. The punch had hurled him several yards back. "You were always a tough one. And a romantic one. There are those of us who knew it was only a matter of time before you went after Haku. You were bold enough to do that. Become a missing nin for him."

"_Shut up._"

"…But he's gone forever, now. I'm not lying when I told you that your own mother wants you returned. A chance for everything to go back to the way they were, Mezhari, a chance at a normal life. Don't you want that?"

"…You make me laugh." She tried to summon her chakra from within, but his poison had already taken hold. It was not a poison designed to kill, unless used on special cases such as hers. He knew that, however. "You think I'm intimidated by this, Waya? I'm not. I'll fight you until my last conscious thought fades!"

"…" "Very well," he acknowledged and drew forth his throwing needles between his fingers.

"…That is enough, hunter nin."

Voreka blinked at the out-of-place voice. Itachi stood before her, sideways and blocking her view of Waya. It was to the hunter nin whom his red eyes were fixed upon at the moment. "…If the she does not wish to go with you, then there isn't much else you can do right now."

She opened her mouth to protest against his interference, but he seemed to have sensed that and forestalled her argument with a cold stare.

"…Quiet…" Itachi murmured dangerously, turning so that the hunter nin couldn't see the contemptuous expression on his face, nor hear the words of threat he spoke. "…Or I'll finish you off, myself."

…

She managed to breathe softer breaths.

Waya tilted his head suspiciously at the two of them, Itachi still eyeing her down, but all he could see was the back of the black haired man. "Unfortunately, you are correct. However, before I leave, I would still like to know what ties she has with S-rank missing nins such as you. It is not merely for satisfying my own curiosity that I ask."

"…" Itachi turned his head to meet the hunter nin's gaze. "…She is my…lover."

…

_Tsch. He shouldn't have said that. Really._

"Mezhari-san," Waya addressed her, pointedly discarding regards to everyone else. "It will wear off in a few hours." Then he was gone, leaving a small cloud of falling dirt behind.

…

_A few hours? He's going to leave me to die like this?_

Voreka was in some sort of daze when Kisame appeared next to them. "Itachi-san, I can go after him."

"…" The two of them stared as the girl sank slowly to her knees like a puppet being slowly laid to rest. "…There could be more," Itachi said unworriedly, and then added "…That one was not normal."

"The Loricha clan," Kisame grunted as a way of explanation. "Ey, girl, how are you feeling?"

"…Wonderful," she hissed out through clenched teeth. She thought about getting up to prove her point, but she felt faintness overtake her.

The last thing she saw was the surprise on _both _men's faces.

_Ha. So Itachi-san does have other reactions than resentment…_


	7. Lend me your hate

A/N: Hmm…Why would Voreka's mom suddenly want her back from exile? O.o That's probably not to be revealed yet, but let's find out more about Voreka, shall we?

**Just in case anyone's confused; Itachi _did not_ claim Voreka is his lover because he likes her. **I bet some of you laughed your heads off when you read that line.

Miranda: And I shall keep writing just for you even if no one else likes this story, in return for such faith. o-o

Macabre Memorial: ROFL yes, I have absolutely no background knowledge in Japanese, please feel free to correct me xD;; in fact, please correct me.

Maybe we could let it slip this time, since a lot of the character names I make up, including "Mezhari", doesn't sound very Japanese anyway x.x I think we can find a way to work around that detail, since some characters in Naruto have strange names to begin with.

* * *

Chapter 7 – "Lend me your hate"

Kisame watched as Itachi knelt and checked her pulse, both on her neck and her wrist.

"What is it, Itachi-san? Internal damage? Poison? Genjutsu?" He asked when the black haired man offered him nothing but silence.

"…Poison. Of a sort," Itachi replied slowly, betraying nothing of what he might've felt at the situation. "…Her heartbeat is erratic…her chakra centers are out of control …She is unable to sustain her disguise any longer." His red eyes narrowed down at the unconscious girl as he stated the details. No, no longer girl but woman. A woman with an obviously tainted bloodline.

"…This poison will kill her," Itachi informed impassively. "…" The black haired man seemed to consider his options. After what felt like a long time, it was Kisame who finally spoke.

"…Itachi-san…" he stated plainly. That earned him a sidelong look of disapproval from Itachi.

"…You are growing attached to her, Kisame. Must I remind you of our mission?"

Kisame faked a grunt of disgust, knowing that, ultimately, what he feels about the situation wouldn't touch Itachi's decision. He was only a sidekick to the Sharingan master. "I'm just urging you to hurry up. It's bad karma, leaving someone to die before your eyes."

"…Then, build me a fire."

"…" Kisame hesitated.

"…I'm not going to cremate her, Kisame. She's freezing."

_Oh._

_---_

A few minutes later, Kisame returned, carrying enough branches to start a bonfire. Well, not literally, but it was quite the armful, because he wasn't sure what Itachi wanted.

Itachi had propped Voreka up so that she was sitting cross-legged, his palms supporting her weight on her back as he was seated cross-legged behind her. A frown of concentration darkening his eyes.

"…Stabilizing her- chakra- movement," the occupied man explained before Kisame had the chance to ask, his breath coming out shallow.

Wordlessly, Kisame began setting up a small fire before the girl – it was hard for him to think of her as anything but girl, given to her personality. Of course, that could've been an act as well. She was quite unpredictable, this one.

He heard Itachi drew in a few unsteady breaths and felt curiosity brew. "Why not remove the poison directly? Wouldn't that be easier? Well, for _you _I mean."

"…" Maybe the man wasn't going to reply. Itachi wasn't someone who enjoyed explaining himself. Though that doesn't mean he didn't know what to share and what to keep to himself. "…No; he used a nerve inhibitory drug. Serves as a temporary chakra seal." "…What do you know about this Loricha clan?" he added as an afterthought.

"…Hmm…not much. The clan keeps very well within its own circle..." Kisame cocked his head, digging through his memory. "Their progenies breeze through the academy and are immediately brought back to train with their own clan elders. Most, if not all, become hunter nins directly under the Mizukage's command. I've never encountered one. The pink eyes they have are rumored to have the ability to detect and identify each individual's unique chakra…or something like that."

The bright orange glow of the fire danced across the surface of Voreka's porcelain skin, and the slightly darker skin of Itachi. He doubted the droplets of sweat forming at the sides of Itachi's face were caused by the heat of the fire, however.

"…What else?" Itachi asked absently.

"…Well…the rest are tall tales I've picked up from the loosened tongues of potential defectors in pubs, way back," Kisame admitted. "Errrr…they're likely made up stories due to paranoia of the Mizukage's special hunter nin teams."

Itachi's eyes cracked open into slits. Up till then, they had been closed to allow more focus. "…You will tell me what you heard," he commanded softly, shifting the position of his hands, resting them against her shoulder blades. "…There is a reason for your outburst back there."

_Observant, as always, _Kisame thought to himself. Better not risk the Sharingan master's annoyance.

Snorting, the shark man told him what he wanted to hear.

"Many rumors. Demon spawns, they were called, the Mizukage's last resort, because even he was thought to be ill at ease with the power and influence of the Loricha clan. Undeceivable hunters with a relentless supply of chakra …Hmm…And the clan consists of many branches." "…Let's just say they were pretty infamous among the more wanted missing nins of the Mist," Kisame concluded, hoping that it was sufficient.

The black haired man lifted the weight of his gaze away. "…Demon spawns…?" Itachi mused out loud. He turned his attention back to the girl, a small frown knitting his brows. "…I had guessed as much."

"Eh?" Both Kisame's brows rose.

Itachi shook his head slightly to his unasked question.

"…Not a demon spawn. This girl…is an Anomalous." A pause, to let that sink in. "…Her chakra potential is the same as, if not above, your own, Kisame." Those blood red eyes settled on him once again. "You _do_ know of what I speak…?"

An Anomalous spirit. He'd heard a bit about those. An extremely rare occurrence amongst newborns where an unfortunate one is laden with a curse no drug, seal, or magical item can lift.

"I see…so that's why…that time, you warned me not to tap into her 'permanent chakra reserve'. You knew."

Yes, Itachi would be able to see through something like that. The Sharingan's power of insight was not something to be glossed over, although it was not for that particular function that the Uchiha was feared throughout the lands.

"…She's still cold…" the Sharingan wielder murmured with a frown. Cold and frost lingered around them, and the sky was dark and unyielding, the aftereffects of that hunter nin's jutsu. He hadn't been an ordinary ninja, for sure.

The black haired shinobi tossed him a pointed look.

"But Itachi-san, I'm ectothermic. " Kisame wondered if he managed to keep the amusement from his voice and countenance. Itachi simply stared at him for longer than necessary, before lowering the girl against him. He balanced her weight against his chest while he shook off his cloak, drawing it across the front of the unconscious girl. The movement caused her head to loll to one side, and a trickle of blood dripped down from a corner of her mouth.

"..." Both men watched as a small frown formed on Voreka's brows, and there was a troubling gurgling sound somewhere deep in her throat. Without warning, Itachi executed several agile seals, thrusting both palms into her back, causing her to jerk forward and cough up a spray of red directly into the hissing fire.

So it was true.

Kisame scowled.

Anomalous' are born with an overflowing amount of chakra potential, too much for their human bodies to contain. They were seldom ever heard of, and therefore were never deemed a threat, in the ninja world because of this albeit enormous, but self-destructive chakra level.

It was also true that often these abnormal children were killed off when their true nature was revealed, for they were capable of causing massive casualties should things get out of hand, although unchecked usage of their power will most likely lead to a swift death in the aftermath. Before this day, he had never heard of one who'd survived beyond the age of sixteen; that was the considered the most amount of time their inner turbulence allowed them to live before taking its toll on their systems.

That was the curse. Raw, unbridled power balanced by the result of a constantly distraught, fragile body.

"The lost of control over her chakra did this to her…" the shark man pondered out loud. "She's pretty easy to kill off."

Itachi leaned forward, slipping one arm around the waist and another under the knees of the girl, lifting her into his lap. He gazed down at her face, letting her nestle in his arms. "…She's an apprentice of the Lost Night." "…Furthermore, if what you said is true, then she will serve her purpose well, in this scheme." He didn't elaborate on what he meant by that, but Kisame knew the man well enough to suspect there was a connection to what he'd mentioned the day before.

"You plan to face her off with your younger brother, don't you? You hinted at her being able to hinder Sasuke, somehow…"

No explanation from the black haired man.

Kisame continued with a scowl. "You know she'll die if she meets him in combat."

Their eyes met. Itachi's crimson ones gleamed dangerously.

"…Your growing consideration for her is becoming disturbing, Kisame."

"…" "…Itachi-san, you seem to have something against this girl. Even for _you_, to be so… Is there a reason for this pique?"

Itachi's expression remained unaffected by his guess.

"…N-"

"NO!" His words were cut short by Voreka's interjection, in which she jolted awake and immediately collided with Itachi's chin. He slowly lowered his arms away from the girl, who was at the moment unaware of the predicament she was in.

"Ouuuuch..." Voreka winced and braced her head. It was the sight of her own hair in front of her face which made her freeze.

…

…

…

Five minutes later. Nothing had changed.

"Ha. Itachi-san, I think we broke Voreka."

That comment seemed to jog her back to the present.

"Soooo…my secret is out. I was saved?" she asked in the same breath, her hazy mind trying to piece everything together at once.

"By Itachi-san," Kisame added helpfully.

"Oh…? Where-…" "……"

He could've sworn the girl stopped breathing altogether.

"…Why are you-…Why am I…" Her hasty attempt to push herself off gave rise to her fit of coughing, but she did manage to roll off. And spat out blood.

…

"…Don't push yourself." Kisame was surprised to hear Itachi beat him to telling her that. The red eyed man rose, walking away to one side and disappearing into the woods without a backwards glance. Stabilizing the chakra activity of an Anomalous must've wearied him.

"That was rude, girl," he growled non-threateningly, "When he just spent considerable effort saving your life."

Flickers of realization crossed her face. She was not slow, this one, even though her body and mind were still recovering. Her eyes of pink diamonds fixed on his warily. "I see…" Voreka picked herself up from the ground, the cloak sliding off her shoulders to reveal that the robe which had been a bit loose for her frame now fitted her perfectly. She had in possession a graceful, sensual figure which didn't quite measure up to the typical kunoichi physique in terms of muscle. "…You thought I would've died from that? Impossible. It was only a nerve-disrupting poison developed by the Loricha to-"

"-To take care of people with conditions such as yours?" Kisame interrupted with a scowl.

"…" "So you know about that…How unfortunate for me." Her black eyelashes lowered over her eyes, and he saw her sneak sidelong glances around their surroundings. "…He meant to kill me. He knew that poison is fatal for me." Whether she truly believed that, or was trying to throw him off, he couldn't tell.

Kisame grabbed hold of her arm when she staggered suddenly.

"I apologize. My legs haven't gotten used to standing just yet."

"That, or…" he looked in the direction Itachi had gone. "…or that hunter nin is still around, waiting to find out what your real relation with Itachi is." _Waiting to see if she's important enough to not be abandoned. _

"He wouldn't bother to do that…" Voreka told him with a small, sinister smile. "Waya wouldn't have believed what Itachi-san said." At the questioning look he gave her, she only grinned a bit wider, but offered no explanation. She withdrew her arm. "We should go. Maybe it wasn't a good idea for Itachi-san to leave by himself."

She needn't have worried that much. The soft crunching of grass signified the Sharingan wielder's return. The black haired man looked at her, now almost eye-to-eye with her height, but he was the taller of the two. Itachi drew closer to them, slowly, deliberately, until he was standing in front of the green haired girl. She couldn't have backed away from those frighteningly cold eyes, for Kisame stood behind her.

"…Loricha, Mezhari…" He put emphasis on her name.

"Voreka…Call me Voreka."

Itachi stared her down. Kisame could feel the unease ripple off her back.

"…Voreka," he pronounced slowly, carefully examining her face as he did so. "…Very well. …Can you travel?"

"Yes," Voreka replied quickly. A tad too quick. Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly. He reached out in an unanticipated move, grasping onto her arm as she drew back in response.

"What are you-" She didn't complete her sentence as an alien humming flitted through the air. The Sharingan master caught her as she fell forward.

"Was that necessary?" Kisame grunted.

Itachi stared past his shoulder at the trees beyond.

"…" "…Kisame, destroy all evidence that we were here." He bent down and scooped up the slumbering girl with both arms. "…Let's move out."

* * *

_"Loricha-sama, there has been a mishap during training at the academy today. I thought you should be the first to know."_

_"You're the new weapon instructor, aren't you? Just leave Mezhari with me, she has the tendency to pass out from fatigue at training, it's nothing unusual."_

_"…Loricha-sama, I've just brought her back from the emergency room. I think there's something you should know…Oh, you're awake."_

"…Hmm…?"

"Yep, she's awake!"

She blinked up at Kisame, who stopped in midst of fanning her with his straw hat to grin down at her.

"How're you feeling?" he chirped. That was when she became aware of the heat coursing through her entire body. Voreka reached a hand to feel her face. It was warm. A fever. Her body must be trying to get rid of the poison, which meant it didn't wear off yet. And that she hadn't been out cold for more than a few hours.

Then she remembered.

_He _put _me to sleep! Just with his eyes! But t-that's insane! No one should be that good!_

Tsch. No wonder he thought her weak. Compared to him, yeah.

"Thank you, Kisame-san. I'm fine, now."

"…Heh." Both turned to look in the direction where Itachi was seated cross-legged on the ground, back turned to them. "…Pathetic. Denying your utter defeat by just one hunter nin," he said softly, something close to scorn underlying his tone.

If that comment had been to offend her, it was also indubitably true.

…

This man did wonders to her self-esteem.

Voreka folded her arms. "Fine. I admit my jutsu speed is not fast enough. How was I supposed to deflect his needles?" She threw up her arms as if to emphasize the point. "I have none of my own!"

She saw him start to rise and stepped back in time to catch the kunai he threw at before it hit her, by the handle. Yet, he hadn't thrown it to maim. With his speed, it wouldn't have been caught if he didn't want it to be.

"What-?"

"…You want weapons, Girl? Why not use these?"

She stared as he approached slowly. The kunai in her hand suddenly felt bitingly cold. "I'm more skilled with senbon needles," she replied truthfully, fighting to keep her gaze steady. She couldn't back up any further; the tree was behind her back. He kept advancing until he braced one hand against the tree, next to her head.

"…You're _soft_." The words were whispered lightly against her ear.

_Guuh._

The man caught her kunai hand as she swung at his neck. He'd been expecting that. Of course. Damn him.

"…Your use of genjutsu, ninjutsu, and your choice of weapons reflect that back onto you."

Voreka let go of her hold on the kunai. It hit the ground unceremoniously. "Let go. of me." He released her arm and pulled back. She glared up at him until he turned away.

"Geez. Do you react violently every time someone puts you down?" Kisame asked her seriously, but the sinister grin from that morning was back.

She sulked. "No…Maybe…I don't know…" _It's just him,_ she realized with a frown. _I'm not…usually violent…What is this…hatred? _"Is there a reason why you're grinning at me?"

"Oh, it's just how I can always expect you to get pissed off at Itachi-san. Anyone else would've been too terrified to speak. Then again, anyone else, and he would've broken a bone or two."

…

He didn't look like he was joking, but she couldn't tell for sure.

"I take it that we're pretty close to our destination, now?"

"Welcome, to Grass Country."

_Grass Country…_ Voreka took a good look around her. It wasn't much of a change in scenery. They've technically been traveling for only three days. Pretty fast.

"You're attracted to him, aren't you?"

"…Huh?" Voreka looked up as he tossed some leftover fruits from that morning into her arms.

"Well, it makes sense if you think about it." Kisame ruffled her hair, he still being significantly taller. "You react strongly to his disapproval because, inwardly, you seek his acknowledgement."

She looked at him as if he'd just told her the sun is pink. "…I don't think that's what it is."

He lifted a brow, waiting for her contradiction. Voreka contemplated over him. She had learned from the academy long ago that the easiest way to gain someone's trust is to display trust in him. Hmm. Okay...She was strong enough to admit her own shortcomings. Though she sincerely hoped Itachi wasn't anywhere nearby to hear it.

Voreka drew in a breath.

"I'm afraid all it is, is a childish habit of mine." Try as she might, she couldn't help but look down as she spoke. "You, too, was once of the Hidden Mist." With effort, she glanced up and gave him a lame smile. "Not even a generation ago, it would've been someone like me who've died in the during the graduation exam." She shrugged helplessly. "It was just a way to take out someone who wasn't meant to have passed the entrance exam. Sometimes they plan out whom to gang up on ahead of time, ya know? Yes, you would, missing nin of the Mist. The practice changed, but the idea remains the same. All the pitying eyes, all that distance they kept. I've heard of students from other classes committing suicide."

Again, she shrugged. A small, resigned motion. "I was lucky. Someone befriended me." Voreka gave him a veiled look. She guessed he wanted her to continue by the attentive silence he displayed. "He was a boy, started one year later than most and second oldest in our class." She pointed to herself. "Younger than me by a year. I failed the entrance exam two times." The corner of her eyes tilted upwards in a smile. "But it soon became obvious that he hadn't been delayed a year for the same reason as mine. He was good. A boy who can do anything. A boy loved by everyone."

Voreka looked to the side abruptly, snapping herself out of her trance. "I promised him I will neither take insults nor let any bother me."

_A promise I haven't found difficult till now. Why is that?_

"So…this boy…" Kisame pressed, probably having noted her solemn countenance.

"He's dead."

She tugged a stray strand of her pastel green hair behind her ear.

"I'm going to look for Itachi-san. Maybe he'll enlighten me a bit about my part in this quest, now that we're close to the objective."

Without waiting for a response, she walked off, leaving Kisame to wonder if she really didn't know that a certain black haired shinobi had overheard every word.

---

It was ironic, really. When was the last time she'd been able to talk out a part of her past like that? Without fearing to save face. Without having to worry about giving away her true identity.

Never.

But with these men, being missing nin themselves, and have already proven themselves to be eminently stronger, she had nothing holding her back. The same men who have in them, power to destroy her career without hesitation or even the barest trace of regret. Not to mention her very life.

The small ironies of life.

"…Itachi-san?"

She had taken her time, wandering aimlessly in the general direction she saw him went in. How far could've he gone?

Another wave of nausea hit her. Damned aftereffects. "Well, you can come out, because I'm not going to spend any more time looking for you!"

…

Her ears picked up the whisper of running water. A stream? Tsch. Fine. It didn't sound that far off anyway.

---

She found him on the other side of the brook, in that half-serious meditative pose he often seated himself in. Itachi didn't look up or acknowledge her presence. She seated herself on her side of the water, opposite from him. He might as well been asleep. There wasn't even motion beneath his eyelids.

"Itachi-san, I've been thinking." She watched the water spit and foam. "You're right about me. I apologize for my violent reactions. All you've said about me were true, and at least you've told them to me to my face." He was watching her, now. She could feel it. After several shallow breaths, she completed her thought. "Then why? Why do you bother saving me?"

…

"Is it because of…what I am?" she continued when he made no reply.

…

Voreka stood up, shoulders back.

"I will not be a tool, Itachi-san. Nor am I suitable to be one. I will tell you honestly that I am undoubtedly the weakest Genin of the Night. Fate dealt you a bad hand when it made you cross paths with me, and not the others."

_Me, and not any other Genin of the Night._

…

Voreka raised her eyes to meet his scrutiny.

"…However," Itachi drawled in his soft yet compelling voice, "would any other have made such a risk as to steal the secrets from a major clan of the Leaf?"

"A mistake," she replied lamely, rolling her eyes at herself.

"…No." That one word knocked the air of her. Her eyes shot down to him warily. "…It was a good choice, for your purpose. You were willing to sacrifice your life for that power." Red eyes flashed back at her, speaking depths. "…That desire…to suppress your peers…"

Her pink eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"How do you know about-…what purpose?"

He stared at her sagely. _He knows. How does he know? Who is he, to know so much detail regarding the Lost Night?_

Clearly he saw her disbelief. For his eyes took on a malicious glint. A smirk, heard from his voice for he had donned his high collared cloak again.

"…Typical. Don't even know the history of your own clan, just planning to do what they tell you. You have never even heard of the name, Uchiha, have you?"

She stepped back. Even from that distance, his intensity was fearsome. Suffocating.

Slowly, she shook her head, afraid to look away. "It's something about my village, is that it? Do you perhaps intend to use me as a spy on my own clan? I-"

"No."

…

Voreka shook her head. "Then, what is it? What is it that you want from me?"

"…" He didn't answer immediately. Reflection of light bounced off the water, causing illusions of cryptic expressions on his face. "…You will assist us in our mission, and I will make you…powerful."

She blinked. More because of the fact that it was getting increasingly hard to hold his gaze. "What?"

"…You don't have to answer me right now."

Itachi stood. Within a blink of an eye, he was next to her, staring down at her with his hypnotic eyes. Then he was moving away, leaving her to stare, still wide eyed, at his back.

"…I can make it so that you will pass, first place," she thought she heard him say over the sound of rushing water.

…

_He's offering me a choice._

_An illusive choice. Since he already knows my desire to become stronger._

_Ha. _A corner of her lips twisted upwards despite herself.

_He already knows my answer._


	8. Grant me your Fear

A/N: Hmm. I need the manga to progress a bit faster so that I can plan out my plotline in advance. Beware stalling techniques.

This chapter was hard.

* * *

Chapter 8 – "Grant me your fear"

_I am an Amazon. Let me remind you that. If they find out about me conspiring with my captors – and worse, _male_ captors – I would be _killed_. Or kicked out, at best. _

_His offer…is a paradox. _

Kisame tossed her another potato to peel. She did so, automatically, handling the paring knife with skill. It was, by then, the late afternoon, and one man or the other had deemed it unnecessary to continue on their track with her still being in a state of recovery. She was proud, yes, but not utterly ungrateful, and thus made no comment on the unspoken decision.

They made camp by the brook. Actually, she did nothing but sat on her rock as Kisame instructed her to, and, finding that she could skin the vegetables efficiently, handed over the task to her completely.

Voreka didn't mind the task, but every now and then the shark man would give her an incomprehensible look. Maybe he actually thought she didn't know how to peel vegetables. Ha.

"I see, now," Kisame said rather unexpectedly, drawing from her a glance in askance. "That time you dropped the disguise of that Yamanaka girl, I thought you were her adopting another form to avoid being recognized. Turns out you did that to spare her the interrogations, am I right?"

…

"…" She was too mentally fatigued to find a good answer. "…I don't want to make an excess amount of enemies." There. It was a truth, at least.

He stared at her quizzically. "You're a strange one."

"What made you want to become a kunoichi?" he added when she only shrugged in response.

Voreka knew he was only trying to get her to open up to him, for whatever reason. She also knew that his curiosity was justified, as she was accustomed to exhibiting strange behaviors and reactions. But then, she felt a blood red gaze land on her shoulder and it all began to feel uncomfortably close to an interrogation.

…

"My……mother."

_Her._

_…For her._

_…**Her**._

"Aw. That's sweet," Kisame stated absently.

Frowning, she blinked her eyes free of that image. She was reluctant to go into details on that particular topic.

Perhaps he sensed that, for he turned to Itachi, who had returned to motionlessly watching the water boiling over the campfire.

"Itachi-san, since we're likely closing in on our target, now…you could perhaps tell us your plan."

Voreka turned her head aside and hid a smile upon hearing this. It was amusing, between these two. Kisame would always be the one to point out something relatively obvious to the both of them, and the other man would either choose to ignore or to agree with the least amount of enthusiasm humanly possible.

"…" "…We will wait, until both, or either side, are weakened," the black haired man replied as if reciting a mission statement, eyes narrowed thoughtfully at the flames. "…Also, it would be unwise to face them consecutively, without reinforcements."

Hmm. Opponents who were a match for these two? That's not good.

Itachi reached into his bag next to him and threw at her, two black, rectangular objects. They were holsters, like the ones you would keep shuriken in. She was uncomfortable with shuriken.

"…While you slept in at the inn, this morning," he replied nonchalantly to her questioning look.

Voreka raised an eyebrow, exchanged a look with Kisame, and curiously opened the lid of one of the holsters. The tips of long, sharp acupuncture needles tickled her skin when she tilted the contents out onto her palm.

"…" She raised her eyes to meet his. "I have not yet made up my mind to cooperate on this."

The red eyed man turned his head aside, and his dark bangs and high collar curtained his face from view.

Otherwise she would've seen the semblance of a smile.

They waited for a response of some sort. She felt Kisame's unease prod into her side, for he was right next to her.

"…You have until then to decide."

No, Itachi didn't bother to specify when 'then' was, but she presumed he meant the encounters with their adversaries, as he had mentioned just prior.

_…And if I say no? _she wondered, lips pressed together in a thin line. Was he so sure that she would take up on his offer rather than to use the weapons he gave her against him? Had she really sound that desperate during her speech, when she suspected he had been just within earshot, behind the trees?

Crap.

Her voice was pleasantly disinterested when she spoke. "Itachi-san, what makes you think you can succeed in where the rest of them had failed?"

With her peripheral vision, she saw Kisame turn to her in askance. He, for one, hadn't been part of the little chat between herself and Itachi by the same brook just half an hour ago.

That makes the two of them confused, when Itachi's only reply came in the form of two words, making no sense whatsoever.

"…One day."

His red garnet eyes pierced hers. The scorn evident in their depths made her want to withdraw, but there was something else there which held her. The dare in those cold, knowing eyes.

"One day…" Voreka repeated incredulously, hoping he would elaborate.

Itachi rose slowly to his feet, the glare of the sun from overhead lengthening the shadows which hung over his eyes. "Kisame."

A grunt of acknowledgement came from the shark man beside her as he got up from his rock. The two men made to exchange places. His eyes on her, her eyes on his approaching shoulder. Something told her it wasn't a good idea to look up into his eyes at that moment, or to flinch as he neared her.

What is he going to do?

"…Voreka," Itachi murmured her so called name. The fact that it was the first time he'd used her name put her on her guard. "…Spar me."

Her pulse in her throat, she fought down the urge to look at him. Her hands reached down to secure the holsters to either leg. Why he thought she was in a condition to spar with him when they thought she couldn't travel was beyond her. Then again, was it even possible to say 'no' to him?

So she drew in a slow breath. "As you wish."

Instantaneously drawing chakra to her fist, she launched a punch at him the moment the last word left her lips. He dissolved as her fist met with thin air. She felt him materialize behind her and delivered a spinning back kick which he back stepped.

_I can't even land a blow on him. _She smiled wryly to herself as her next three bouts of attacks were evaded by the cloaked figure. _I guess one thing I don't have to worry about is accidentally hurting him. _

Voreka paused, breathing audibly, as the man disappeared from sight.

"…You are sharp, to avoid my Sharingan," his voice brushed past her ear, "but can you keep that up while on defensive?"

Her arms flew up to prevent his punch from giving her a concussion, which would have happened if it reached her head. He was so frickin' strong, without even having to use chakra like she did. She staggered back, regaining her balance in time to duck his round house kick, but his follow-up backside kick connected with the crook of her neck, sending her tumbling to the side. Flipping herself upright, her eyes searched for a place to land on the ground.

_Shit. Where-…Left! _Her arm swung back to parry his fist. He unclenched his hand, using it to grab hold of her arm, twisting it behind her head. Before she could figure out what was happening, one knee dug into her vulnerable side, knocking her off balance, before his other leg delivered a powerful kick which sent her spiraling up into the air.

Voreka winced, hands diving for the senbon needles. She spun to face downwards, shooting the needles which successfully deflected the shuriken he launched up at her. When she landed back on solid earth in a half-crouch, she was directly across from him.

_This is hard. Trying to avoid looking at his eyes is slowing my reaction rate. Tsch. Look at him, he's only using one arm against me! _

Embarrassing, really, that she could hardly keep up with him when he was going easy on her, but she didn't want to risk getting trapped in a genjutsu, which she suspected he activated via his eyes. A genjutsu like last time could only reveal too much.

The only sound came from Kisame, who was dicing vegetables as if what was going on next to him was of no import.

"…You are a Night Genin," Itachi's voice said to her right.

"…You should know," another one sounded, to her left.

"…The eyes are deceiving." Behind her this time. Three of him.

The one on her left slashed at her with a kunai. The blade sliced off a few strands of her pastel green hair as she ducked and delivered a sidekick to his torso parallel to his offensive arm. One of the other Itachis swept down and attempted to trip her. She leapt onto his head, and leapt again to land outside of the circle, distancing herself from him and his clones.

_…_

_I am only a Genin but… _She reached up, to her forehead protector. _I can try… _Making up her mind, Voreka slid her Night headband down, over her eyes. _Now I can't see anything. _

"Please."

A rain of kunai met her challenge. The only sense she could rely on was her hearing. The problem was, there were many, and she couldn't tell where each kunai was headed until they came closer, but by then there was hardly enough time to dodge them completely.

_…Looks like he's serious. _She breathed heavily, feeling the stings where blood was starting to well on her cuts. Anticipating his next move, she readied her needles in each hand.

He was beside her suddenly, on either side. Immediately she received a blow to her cheek. She turned, flinging her needles at both. They vanished with a small puff. Clones. Uh oh.

Voreka forced herself to still and listen to her surroundings. Kisame was still chopping away.

Pain laced her jaw as she was suddenly tossed up by his kick. She used her arms to guard herself against his next kick, but it still sent her skidding backwards.

_Not good. I can't match his stealth like this. _

Outwardly, she struggled for a calm composure.

"Is this one the real you?" Voreka asked in a casual tone. She raised a hand in a single seal, conjuring up four wind clones. Since it was only a 'spar', he shouldn't mind if she…

The first three of her clones went at him straight on. As expected, Itachi tossed them off effortlessly. The three clones spun back to face him in mid air, each shooting one chakra rope from each hand at him. He leapt back, but two of the wind ropes caught him. Left arm, right leg. Her fourth clone drew her arm back and flung a spray of needles at him. A blast of fire took care of that nuisance, but it gave her enough of a distraction.

"Hold still," she said breezily, behind his back.

She heard him turn to look at her, she having snuck up behind him.

**_Mind-Body Switch Technique! _**

A sea of colors sailed past her vision. It felt like the entire ground gave away beneath her feet at neck break speed. Did it work?

Fingers, knees, shoulders, neck. She regained feeling in her body at places where it strained, hanging limp as she was. Or was it her body? Could she have missed, even from this close?

_Okay…who-…who am I…?_ Her first conscious thought.

_…_

Memories.

Not her memories.

…

Emotions.

Not her emotions.

She choked, her lack of practice in the jutsu making her helpless against the flood of images which assailed her senses. Her fingers fumbled to find the right positioning.

**_Release! _**

---

It felt like a breath of fresh air, and she was suddenly back in her own body. She stumbled back and doubled over, retching. Tsch, the scroll should've warned her about encountering that problem if the user hadn't mastered the technique yet.

"…To have come this far, in two days…"

Voreka snapped to attention, needles in hand. "_Don't. come closer._"

She got up shakily, wondering if he'd snuck up on her, because she heard no sound.

"...Does the image of death scare you?"

He sounded so nonchalant.

She backed away, almost losing her balance as she stepped over a rock. She just couldn't stop retreating until she backed into _him. _Cursing inwardly, she tore her headband away from her eyes with a trembling hand, turning slowly to meet his eyes. His solemn face, his emotionless eyes. He might as well have been chiseled out of stone.

_Those eyes. The same eyes._

"Who were they?" Despite her efforts, her voice came out a pitch higher than usual.

Kisame's words crept into her awareness.

"_No, the rest of the Uchiha, 'cept one other, are dead."_

_"Is that why he's…"_

_"HA!"_

"You wiped out your own kindred."

_I think I'm going to be sick._

The man didn't even blink at the accusation.

Nor did even a hint of emotion enter his tone.

"…That is correct."

She punched him. Hard.

He _let_ her punch him.

A very tense silence ensued. It was when he was slowly straightening himself did she see one corner of his lips twist upwards in a small smirk.

"…Did that feel good?" he asked in a half whisper, red eyes fixing on her. She saw the three tomoe in his eyes start to wind.

_M-monster. This man's a **monster**._

She ran, knowing it was futile, but needing to get away, anywhere away from the weight of those eyes pressing on her.

…

Kisame shook his head at the scene. "Being cruel, as usual?"

"…" Bending down, Itachi picked up the forehead protector the girl had dropped when she had made her fist to punch him. He looked at the unscratched, reflective surface of the headband for a long moment, before slashing a clean line vertically through it with a kunai. He tucked the headband inside his cloak and gave the other man a meaningful look. "…I will go fetch her."

* * *

She didn't stop fleeing until she thought she might _die _from running so long. _Benten, _she invoked the goddess of luck, _why? _Okay, so it was her decision in impersonating Yamanaka Ino because she was the daughter of one of the inner circles of the clan, that and Voreka thought she could handle a newly appointed Chuunin if things don't go according to plan.

_But why did I have to cross paths with _them

_He'll kill me. I know it._

Panting, she collapsed to the ground. It was not merely the fragmented replays of a massacre which haunted her. Such backgrounds could be expected from many missing nins. Rather, it was the fact that, during that little while she spent within his mind, she _felt _every bond he'd severed as he slew them in cold blood.

Adults who'd praised and pampered him. Children who'd badgered and worshipped him. Relatives. Peers. Girls who'd thought themselves in love.

"**_Ahhhhhhh!_**"

She screamed, hands clutching her head.

She had not shed a tear in three years. She would not start, now.

…

To have had. everything. denied her. And to have thrown it away.

…

"No…!"

Silence greeted her ears.

_Why._

How long she remained slumped there, she couldn't tell. Her brain shut down, leaving her with a heavy numbness as she watched the shadows gradually lengthened. He'll find her. It was his game they were playing. Up till then, she hadn't known exactly what she was dealing with. She'd been playing with fire. All those times, she could've gotten herself killed, behaving as she had done.

"…How much did you see?"

Her uncontrollable trembling was back, triggered by the sound of his rich, soft voice.

"Nothing else," Voreka replied, inwardly surprised at the steadiness of her own voice.

"…" Staring at his feet, she felt his eyes pierce through her, prying, perhaps searching for a truth. A good guess would be that he'll simply kill her if he thought she'd seen too much.

"…What else?" he asked slowly, dangerously.

…

"Damn you!" She lifted her head from her hands. "You could've evaded it. Why are you asking me this, then, when you could've prevented it from happening?"

He leaned back, caught her wrist as she tried to punch him. She pulled back as if his skin burned her, but he didn't release her arm.

"…You have potential," he murmured into her ear. "…You could've been of use to me except for two things." Time slowed painfully. It seemed that he leaned closer as he named them; "…Your mild nature…and your most unfortunate intelligence."

Voreka shut her eyes. He was going to end her life. She had never pictured an ending like this.

"You're right. And that won't change." She met his eyes, resolving on a dignified death. As dignified as her trembling allowed her, anyway.

_Haku._

_I…_

His grip on her wrist tightened, enough to bruise.

"…We'll see about that."

The meaning of his words sank in slowly, for she was distracted by the turning of the twin pinwheel eyes, horrified and unable to tear her eyes away.

"S-stop! I'm not like you!" she pleaded, making a half-hearted attempt to break free from his hold.

She felt one hand slip around her throat, roughly slamming her down against the floor of the forest. He leaned over her, not removing his hand from her neck, terrifying her with their proximity.

"…The only difference between me, and you…" Itachi's voice was intentionally low and murderous. His eyes widened and took on a sinister gleam as he pronounced the words one by one. "…Is _one. really. bad. **day**_."

"**STOP!**" she screamed even before whatever genjutsu he planned to cast took effect. "DON'T SHOW ME! I _GIVE IN_! STOP!"

Absolute silence reigned behind her closed eyelids. She was afraid to breathe.

Finally, when she was able to hold her breath no longer, she sucked in a ragged breath and repeated herself.

"I give in. You win. I'll do what you want."

Slowly, he withdrew his hand, lifting himself away from her. Only then did she dare to peek up at him. He stared down at her, once again in his impassive, slightly disinterested demeanor.

"…You really are weak."

If she weren't so exhausted by then, she might've given in to a bout of hysterical laughter.

He was right. She was afraid to face the truth.

Back then, she was defenseless back then. All the hurt had mounted and had gone no where but deeper within because even if she had tried, she could've hurt no one.

Things have changed since then. She was no longer that helpless little girl.

But she couldn't have-…He-…She couldn't-…Not like him…could she?

_You've just narrowly missed finding out,_ Voreka reminded herself.

"…Stand," Itachi commanded, probably getting impatient at waiting.

She obeyed, awkwardly, as her whole body ached. His long lashed eyes narrowed slightly, and she'd seen it done for enough times to know what it meant.

"No. Please, let me walk. I-…Please…" she trailed off at his red eyed glare, not knowing what she would've done if he dissented.

"…" He stared at her for a bit longer, before moving past her, leading the way. Thank heavens for small mercies.

* * *

Kisame took it that, by the fact that Voreka was still conscious, things have gone well. On second glance, however, the change was unmistakable. The girl's pale, taut visage said it all.

"You two sure took your time," he grunted in disregard. In actuality, he was curious how far his partner had gone to incite such dread in the normally resilient kunoichi. Her hands trembled ceaselessly when she accepted the bowl of soup he handed her. She winced, knowing that her fear was blatantly obvious to all. Cuts and bruises littered over her skin, and he could hear each intake of breath as it passed through her airways. She must've been running for a long while, no doubt having restarting some internal bleeding. Above all, the girl looked shaken, and so the shark man was almost sympathetic when she declared that she wouldn't be able to hold it down.

"I can't eat."

From the side, he saw Itachi shoot her a sharp look, which she must've felt, because the girl's mouth tightened into a thin line.

"…But you will," Itachi stated simply.

Voreka closed her eyes and breathed. Kisame thought it was a good time to discuss pressing issues.

"Itachi-san, we will likely be reaching Tenchikyou by tomorrow. If the targets diverge, who will we go after?"

"…" Itachi paused before responding, as was customary of him, no matter if he already had the answer in mind or not. "…Our orders were to observe Naruto-kun," the black haired man reminded him. "Unless the reinforcements sent for arrive in time, we are to focus on our original mission."

Voreka was practically nodding off by then.

"Girl," Itachi's threat cut through her reverie. She flinched visibly.

Kisame kept his thoughts to himself, entertained by how things turned out. Itachi had claimed the girl could be useful if they come across the Akatsuki defector, Orochimaru and his gang, having the potential ability to counter the Sharingan. She'd demonstrated that potential earlier, that afternoon; an excellent judge of positioning by relying on the sense of hearing alone. He, for one, didn't feel like volunteering to go against a Sharingan wielder or one of the three legendary, by himself. Then again, it had just been mentioned that the chance of them having to encounter Orochimaru was slim.

Perhaps, then, there was another reason for Itachi keeping her.

She had snoozed off again. Itachi reached over and took away her bowl before she could spill its contents on herself. Unfortunately, Voreka slumped forward, and Kisame worried she might've actually fallen forward into the campfire if not for Itachi, who grabbed hold of her arm. The girl woke, staring at the red eyed man in wide eyed muteness.

_Heh. I wonder what his next step would be, now that he's gotten her to fear him. Yep, she's terrified, alright._

"Don't. _fucking. touch me_," Voreka hissed bitingly.

…

…

_…Or maybe not so terrified._

_…_

Itachi rose calmly, eyes trailing to him with a look which told him the man was going to take first watch. Then he walked off, his silhouette eventually engulfed by the deepening dark.

"Voreka."

She didn't raise her head from her hands, but he knew she heard him.

"What did he do, use Tsukuyomi on you?"

"I don't know of what you speak."

"Guess not, then." Itachi usually had the courtesy to inform his victims of what was happening.

He simply kept staring at her until she gave in with a nervous giggle.

"What were-…what were your crimes for being labeled a missing nin?"

Ah, so that's it. Is that all? Finding out about the Sharingan master's past?

"The usual." Kisame waved his hand in dismissal, though she still had her head in her hands. "Assassination of a feudal lord, treachery, sabotage…Typical, isn't it? Aren't your crimes terribly similar?"

"Yeah…" At last, her shaking lessened. Perhaps she was comforted by the fact that the two of them, at least, were even.

"Except you didn't."

She stilled completely at his remark. Raising her head slowly, she looked at him with an indecipherable expression, and said nothing.

Rising, he stretched and yawned. Hopefully there would be some action tomorrow. He was starting to get restless. Itachi never let him engage in what he deemed to be senseless fighting. "Well, get some rest. You look like a zombie."

"Kisame-san."

He halted, turning to raise a questioning brow.

"This Naruto. He's also a Leaf, is he not?"

Her pink eyes fixed on him, devoid of anything.

"Ino is a Leaf. I was just curious," Voreka explained.

He recalled in time that Ino was the name of the girl Voreka had impersonated in the beginning.

"Yeah."

Without waiting to see her reaction, he laid down on the earth, giving her his back and whatever privacy she might need.

After a long moment, he heard her utter the words which seemed to echo in the night space.

"Thank you."


	9. Give me your trust and your Soul

A/N: More exams. This week. Behold slower update. You guys have no idea how hard it is for a slow writer like me to update like this. LoL

Miranda: Teehee! Not to worry! XD I mean, who can resist Itachi? (drools)

Thank you all for your patience :D

* * *

Chapter 9 – "Give me your trust and your Soul" 

Voreka munched on her packet of dried dates as she scanned the ink kanji scrawling across the length of the scroll. Their breaks have become more frequent, as the men have taken precaution to scout ahead every now and then, one of them remaining with her at all times, of course.

She only spoke if it was Kisame keeping guard.

_I can't believe this. No where does it say I'm doing anything wrong with this technique. What the heck! It can't be something _he_ did, can it…? _

It would not to her well to get thrown off track like that during the second part of her Chuunin exam, when she would be pitched against not one, but two other genins at the same time.

Crap.

Sighing, she rolled up the scroll, deciding it was about time Itachi returned.

As if on cue, the sound of metal slicing air sang overhead. Voreka spun around in alarm, dropping into a defensive stance. But the throwing stars weren't headed for her, nor were they aimed at Kisame, who immediately readied his sword for combat. Instead, the cluster of shuriken struck into various different points in the branches overhead, on all sides. On closer inspection, she saw that they had a bright, mirror-like surface which reflected the sun crisscrossing down around them in a giant network of light.

"Hnh," Kisame grunted, apparently not liking the look of that.

_Ah! Isn't this…?_

"Loricha, Mezhari."

Her voice hadn't changed much from the last Voreka had heard of her. Then again, Atari's body had matured way before anyone else in their year.

"Loricha, Atari," she greeted back. "This is a surprise."

"Well, well, well. It is rude to not show one's face when being introduced," Kisame remarked loudly, stepping to stand before Voreka, to one side, to make known that he should not be taken lightly.

"Apologies."

One strand of light glowed brighter than the rest, suddenly conjuring up Atari's form in a fountain of light. The standard blue robe of the Mist's hunter nins settled on her tall, well-built frame, and each strand of her dark brown hair seemed to gleam under the capillaries of light. The illusion was impressive, but Voreka knew the real body of the woman was somewhere else, watching, positioned to strike.

In front of her, the hunter nin reached up a hand to remove her mask, revealing the blue-eyed, attractive face of her once best friend and rival, the only other Loricha other than Waya and herself in their year. Of course, Voreka was two years their senior, having had difficulties with the entrance exam.

"Mezhari-san," Atari addressed her. "I wouldn't have believed it if I haven't seen with my own eyes."

Voreka stole a glance at Kisame to see his reaction. The shark man didn't speak, his eyes meticulously searching the vacancy for where the real location of the hunter nin.

"Are you alone?" Voreka asked, more in shock than in suspicion.

"I was told to follow you at a distance by Waya, but you know…I got curious."

Voreka shrugged helplessly. The true location of the hunter nin could be anywhere, using the calculated angles of the mirror surfaces to teleport her illusion anywhere she wanted.

"Well…now that you've seen me…" Voreka trailed off in askance. She hadn't straightened from her defensive stance, aware that she was within shooting range.

"I heard you fought Waya," Atari said instead. Her keen blue eyes trailed from one to the other, noting the bruises on Voreka's skin, which she hadn't bothered to ease despite having closed her cuts, comparing her condition with Kisame's unscratched state.

"I hope you realize that I'm not likely to believe what you're going to say next," Voreka confided dryly. "Waya nearly _killed_ me."

Atari just shook her head in response. Then, slowly, her luscious lips twisted into a smirk. "No, Waya wouldn't have let you die. Your mother wouldn't be pleased by that, hmm? However…" Though the illusion of the hunter nin didn't give anything away, suddenly the tension was thick enough to make the air harder to inhale. "…There are those who'd rather see you dead."

_Ah-!_

She flung up her arms to shield her head, but the pain never came. Voreka peeked up to see Atari's special mirror shuriken blasted away by a torrent of air. And felt her jaw go slack.

_…_

_…Hey…Isn't that…_

…_my jutsu? _

She turned her head to look, knowing what she'd see.

Itachi.

He approached them wordlessly, unhurriedly, red eyes never straying from the figment in front of them.

In turn, Voreka watched as Atari observed the intervener with interest. "So you're the one who took out that entire clan, hmm?" She stared at him a while longer, appreciation evident in her peacock-blue eyes. "Mezhari-san, I've never thought of you as shallow."

_…_

_Guuh…That's right…she probably heard from Waya about that…_

"Hey, look," Voreka pointed out indignantly. Uhm…what was she going to say? That he's _not_ pretty? Or how 'bout that there _is _more to the missing nin than just his looks? Ehhh…Would her once best friend be able to tell if she lies?

"That…that's none of your concern, Atari," she said instead.

Her said friend bent her upper body forward in a half bow.

"Mezhari-san, we shall see where your true loyalties lie when our paths cross again. Next time, we won't be outnumbered, hmm?" The illusion wavered and started to fade. "I do not believe you've gotten over Haku-kun so quickly." Then it blinked out completely.

Yes, it was a warning. For whatever reason, Atari had given her a warning.

_…It's because you two were rivals, are still rivals. She wants fair game._

Yes, that's how it is.

"Eh, Itachi?" Kisame questioned, inquiring if they should let her get away.

Itachi seemed to consider it, eyes narrowing at the hindrance the web-work of beams of light created.

"…" "…Stop her."

In confusion, Voreka watched as Kisame replaced his sword behind his back and formed seals with his hands. Then he inhaled deeply, simultaneously leaping up into the air. She didn't have time to wonder about that, because she was abruptly grabbed by one arm as Itachi dragged her up with him as he leapt up. To her dismay, the momentum forced her to lean into him, and there was nothing she could do about that.

Thankfully, her attention was diverted from her predicament when the shark man released his water jutsu. A cascade of water which devastated all the trees and land in their immediate vicinity, easily flushing away the legacy of mirror shuriken Atari left behind.

_W-wow. _

They landed on rushing water, she having to grab on to Itachi's sleeve to keep from losing her balance. Voreka sneaked a glance to see his reaction, but the red eyed man was looking ahead, at the barely audible splash of water as the hunter nin landed before them, at a safe distance away.

"I knew I wasn't going to get away so easily, hmm? It was a risk getting too close," Atari confessed, hands sliding inside her robe to brandish more mirror shuriken. "But if you think that was the extent of my bloodline limit, you're wrong."

With a swing of her arm, the hunter nin let her shuriken fly, two lines parallel to each other vertically, and spaced out evenly as if in a pattern. Then she let fly two more shuriken, with a harder fling, causing them to shoot right into two of the shuriken on her first throw, making all four flip forward instead of spin. Voreka saw the reason for the formation when Atari suddenly appeared before her, kunai in hand poised to strike.

_W-what?_

Eyes wide, she prepared to receive the blow, as there wasn't enough time to do much else. The next thing she knew, she was staring at Itachi's back.

"…I think you are forgetting something…" he said coldly, applying enough pressure on his grip so that the hunter nin was forced to release her hold on her kunai.

Atari just smiled wryly as her thrown shuriken finally caught up. All three of them in the direct path of the mirror shuriken leaned aside as they tore past. One ray of light reflected off one of the still-flipping shuriken lighted on the hunter nin, and she vanished abruptly.

_It can't be…! She actually mastered that technique this young? _

The cold, merciless feel of steel pressed against the back of her neck. "That's right," the hunter nin spoke from behind her, "The Loricha's Second Branch family. As long as I have light, you can't defeat my speed, hmm?"

"…Don't move."

Voreka didn't turn to look, but it was Itachi's voice, behind Atari. She could guess that he conjured up a clone, even though she didn't see it happening, because the real him was still standing before her. Or maybe the one before her was the clone…she couldn't tell.

"As expected, he's fast, hmm?" Atari mused out loud. "So, now we're in a deadlock, but you know…" The kunai pressed into her skin. "…my mission is simply to kill you."

Her heartbeat thundered in her ears upon realizing the hunter nin's intent.

_Shit…!_

Voreka felt the razor sharp edge of the kunai tear through her skin and the world swam; a blast of sound and colors. She shut her eyes as a wave of nausea assaulted her.

Her heart pounded ceaselessly against her ribcage. She winced open her eyes.

_Huh? I'm not dead? _

No, she wasn't. Instead, she found her back pressed against Itachi's chest, one of his arms still encircling her waist. Right then, she was too shocked from her near-death experience to give that a second thought.

The clone before them dissolved in a puff of shadows. Kawarimi no jutsu; he had replaced her with his clone in that split second, and had snatched her out of range with the same act.

Regaining her composure, Atari twirled the kunai by the handle in her hand. "…I guess this won't be easy with him protecting you, hmm?" Her free hand slipped down to rest on the shuriken holster next to her thigh. "Come to think of it, what _do _you want with this girl? S-Class missing nins like you wouldn't bother with a weakling like her unless for a good reason."

That's what she'd like to know as well. And…

_S-Rank? Whoa…_

"You are not Mezhari's lover. Not even close, if that's who you claimed to be."

Voreka felt rather than saw Itachi's ruby glare. It seems Atari's guesses were right on.

"…" "…I'll end this quickly," his soft, velvet voice promised no one in particular.

Voreka felt him release his hold on her and move back. In a matter of seconds, she saw him reappear behind the hunter nin, whose eyes widened in surprise. Voreka glanced behind her, sure enough, Itachi – or, more likely, his replacement clone, still stood there, eyeing the whole scene lazily.

"Ugh!' Atari grunted as the black haired man took advantage of her initial surprise to trap her within a water prison technique.

_That's…our village's ninjutsu…_Voreka thought to herself. _Isn't he originally a Leaf? _

Her thought was disrupted when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Itachi behind her brandish a kunai from within his sleeve.

_He's going to kill her._

Atari, who at the moment was held immobile by the jutsu.

Atari, who just a moment ago, had almost taken her life.

All these years, after all the training Voreka put herself through, she was still behind in skill compared to her peers. And now this man was going to end her rival's life.

_Atari._

_…_

"Stop."

Blood red eyes stared back down at her. She steeled herself, suppressing a shiver. Her grip tightened on his arm. "I can't let you kill her."

Time slowed. She waited for a reaction which didn't come.

So she cleared her throat lightly and raised her voice so that Atari could hear her speak.

"Atari-chan, I fear you misunderstand. He…" Voreka peered up at the motionless man.

_Is this one just a clone?_

She didn't give herself time to think twice about what she was going to do. Holding her breath, she used her free hand to grasp him by the high collar of his cloak and pulled it down while she leaned up to press her lips against his in a mock kiss, her other arm moving to wrap lightly around his neck.

His lips were warm and pliable, kissable, but she felt as if her heart would burst altogether. She was that afraid.

"-He _is_ my man," she declared, a bit shakily, unable to read his reaction.

_Don't. faint._

"…Well, this came as a shock, Mezhari-san," Atari's unobstructed voice interrupted the tense moment.

Voreka carefully removed her hands and stepped away before turning to look. The hunter nin stood straight in a non-aggressive stance, next to the water prison created for her. The means which gave her, her escape became known when the sunlight hit and reflected off a mirror shuriken floating unevenly in the rippling water. She must've dropped it prior to being imprisoned and had waited until the light reflected off the mirror surface hit her to use her bloodline limit.

A truly fearsome bloodline limit. Voreka could only imagine what sort of effort Atari had to keep up to be able to get this far within the space of six years.

"I guess if you're unwilling to part with them, then it's not going to be easy for us to retrieve you, hmm?"

Voreka tensed as Atari reached inside her robe and pulled out more of her mirror shuriken between her fingers.

"Don't think this is over, Mezhari-san. Let's see what Loricha-sama will think of this, hmm?"

With a quick, upsweeping motion of her arm, the hunter nin sent her shuriken twirling scattered up into the air. Then she was gone. Voreka couldn't tell which way she went.

The Itachi who had been utilizing the water prison jutsu puffed out of existence. Which means…

Crap.

"The Loricha clan…" Kisame was the first to speak, ignoring – or attempting to break – the uncomfortable silence, "didn't use to be this strong."

He noticed her edging to hide behind him. And he laughed.

* * *

They moved forward again. When Kisame returned from his scouting to report his findings, he saw the two sitting across from each other at possibly the furthest distance Itachi allowed between them, which was still pretty far apart. 

She looked so relieved upon seeing him that he laughed again, causing her to wince in bewilderment. Ha, as if he could save her from Itachi's wrath. She wasn't aware that, if Itachi was going to harm her for what she did, he would've done so already.

Fortunately for her, the Sharingan wielder was perfectly under control. On the surface, that is.

Man, she amused him to no end.

The girl was probably the only one who happened to receive the least amount of injuries after having vexed Itachi this much. He'd expected at least a broken bone for just halting the red eyed man like that.

"Itachi-san," he interrupted, "The Bridge is right up ahead. No sign of either party."

Itachi got up leisurely. "…Let's move."

* * *

Voreka let out a low whistle. "Vandalism." 

What was remaining of the bridge hinted that it had been recently demolished. The splinters looked new, and pieces of wood littered the ground. It looks like someone lost their temper here.

Despite baring no resemblance, the image of another, larger bridge, came into her mind.

_"Were you one of the construction workers of this bridge?"_

_"Yes, Miss. Now I do one round each week to make sure nothing's coming loose."_

_"I see. Would you, then, perhaps know of the incident which occurred here prior to its completion?"_

_"Which incident?"_

_"Ah, the one which involved ninjas?"_

_"Oh, that one! We erected a statue in honor of a shinobi of the Leaf, but had to take it down because it caused accidents when people were too busy staring to watch where they're going. Something about a 'stupid looking face'." _

_"…" "No, the other incident, involving missing nins."_

_"Oh…Yes, I heard of what happened. Four ninjas from the Hidden Leaf defeated the two missing nins hired by Gatou, so that this bridge could be built. The bridge is named after one of them, yeah. That's about all I know, I wasn't there, you see."_

_"…The Great Naruto Bridge?"_

_…_

"Itachi-san."

She looked to her side at Kisame, who called to the black haired man ahead of them, standing dangerously close to the edge of the broken bridge. The shark man eyed her knowingly before explaining, "Need a word with you, Itachi."

…

Things weren't looking good. What was going to happen to her?

_Shit, I can't believe I…uhm...technically kissed him._

_Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time!_

_…_

_You know what, if I jump off the edge, now, I don't think they'll be able to catch me. It's too high up to leap off of without risking heavy injury…but I can get away with it, with my wind jutsu…_

Voreka glanced back behind her. Kisame was talking to Itachi in low tones, and as far as she could tell, the other man took it in wordlessly.

She allowed herself a small smile and paced closer to the edge. It didn't mean she'd made up her mind to try her luck. She realized that, should her plan fail, she was to be in serious trouble. Her guess was that Itachi was near his patience's end, and being so close to their objective, he wasn't going to appreciate further delay.

_What will you do, Mezhari? What will you do?_

_Do you wish to leave?_

_Well…yeah!_

The droning of Kisame's voice halted. He was waiting for Itachi's decision.

_This man is a killer. Most ninjas _are _killers but…his own clan? I cannot fathom that. _

_No! I do not wish to know why! I-…I _fear_ him._

Her breathing grew shallow as she stared down at the chasm. It was then or never.

_"…You afraid of the unknown, Girl?" _

She blinked at the sudden memory. Was it a memory? Huh…she didn't recall hearing it being said… Frowning, she thought back hard, but it eluded her reach. It sounded like…his voice…

Itachi.

Turning around, she came face to face with the S-Rank missing nin. Once again proving that his stealth could conquer her vigilance.

…

_Please don't let this mean that he can delve into my mind. _

_I'll go mad._

_I will._

"…Death by drowning is an unpleasant death," he told her calmly, his expression betraying nothing.

"…Uhm…I wasn't going to-"

Nonetheless, he grabbed hold of her arm as she started to back away – admittedly towards the edge. She froze, knowing that she wouldn't be able to break free from his hold if she tried.

"…and afterwards," he continued in a near-whisper, "Your restless soul will be lost within the darkness, restless but unable to move. Watching and longing for the semblance of the sun far above while swaying relentlessly with the current, forlorn, confused..." He seemed to draw her closer as he spoke, until at the end he spoke directly into her ear.

"…forever."

Not only was it the longest speech she'd heard him say, but there was something there in his words. She tried to shake herself free of the trance.

There was a thread of something woven into his words. What was it…was it…

Distress?

No…no.

Voreka smiled weakly. "I'm guessing there's a reason you're telling me this? Yes, I'm afraid. I'm very, very freaked out right now." Her heart was racing, threatening to override her coherent speech. "I'm sorry," she added, swallowing thickly. "I'm sorry about…impeding earlier." She paused, to allow her lungs time to catch up.

_Goddess…I hate how stoic he could look. I'm dying. I can get a heart attack and die. He scares me so much._

It took every last ounce of willpower left in her to lift her eyes to meet his. "She was close to me," she explained, as if someone cold hearted such as he would understand. "Not only close; we were rivals. She kept me going. She gave me a reason to continue struggling, to put up with the expectations, to try to become stronger." Voreka smiled. "Until I had Haku-kun, of course… I would not be…here, if not for her."

He said nothing. She wondered if he wanted her to stop talking. He thought her weak and pathetic. Well, she sure felt as such, pleading for him to understand like this.

"Although things are different between us now, we will always share this bond of rivalry. That is why…" She blinked up at him slowly. "I cannot stand back and do nothing if you try to kill her."

Because, sometimes, the bonds rivalry create are strong, stronger than any other. Did he understand that?

"…" "…She will be back," he stated.

She had to drop her gaze. He was close. Too close. His presence was overwhelming.

"…You have allowed her another chance at taking your own life," he murmured, but it was interesting to note that there was no rebuke in his voice. Perhaps that was a dangerous sign.

"I don't care what the consequences are," Voreka finally concluded, straightening bravely. "If I had stood back and watched her get killed, _I wouldn't be able to forgive myself_."

Though she wasn't looking at him directly, she was close enough to see his eyes flicker.

"…What is your true motive for your change of heart?" Itachi asked in his usual smooth tone, emotionless. "…You would have been better off taking your chances with that hunter nin."

Voreka shot a look over his shoulder to Kisame, who was within earshot of the whole conversation and was pretending to be oblivious.

"I think you've already figured it out, but…I'd like to…" She drew in a much needed breath. "…meet this Naruto."

It wasn't a complete truth, but it wasn't a lie. How would he take that?

Itachi released his grip, slowly moving his hand to adjust the front of his collar. It was unintentional; she recognized it as a habit he had while calculating his options, but it caused her to look aside in embarrassment.

She rubbed her arm. Damn, did he even know how strong his grip was?

"…Then, I suggest you display your loyalty from now on."

He turned, but not before tossing something into her arms. Her headband. She was wondering where that went.

_…Uhm…how did it get scratched like this?_

"…Give me a reason to doubt, and I will kill you," Itachi told her softly, warningly.

"But I-…"

He glanced back, disinterestedly. It was enough.

"…okay…" Voreka gave in, waiting till he turned away before tying on her forehead protector.

_…_

"We're keeping her?" She heard Kisame ask while trying to keep a straight face. He almost succeeded.

"…Enough. Start scouting," Itachi commanded calmly. She bet that order came with a glare.

Apparently not taking the threat to heart, the shark man was whistling a little song before he vanished in a blur to scout as Itachi bid him to.

The black haired man waited a minute before he, too, vanished into the air, leaving her by herself for the first time. Not before giving her a meaningful look.

And, so, the test begins.

_Operation stage two: cleared._


	10. These dreams are Mine

A/N: Author has a busy school life. THREE active fics (one non-fanfiction). One starting web comic. Forgive her for this strange chapter.

**Hououza:** XD thank you, it's good to know at least someone thinks the "kiss" ties in… I wanted to have a good enough reason for igniting the spark!

**Rabidanimegurl: **No! You shall never find out what goes on inside Itachi's head! Neva! XD

I think I know what may've been confusing so far: I'm using the words **"shuriken"** and **"kunai"** without a plural form, but it stands for more than one in most cases. I don't really know why…I know there aren't any plurals in Japanese and it just…feels better writing it that way, for certain words. So beware of that.

* * *

**Chapter 10 – "These dreams are Mine"**

* * *

-

"…"

Voreka took in the enormous size of the unnatural crater without comment. It was insane. She forced herself not to dwell on it, running instead to catch up with Kisame, who was busy examining any trace of footprints left on the dusty, newly overturned earth. The soil seemed to have hardened in place already, hinting that a few days could've passed since the ground was violently disturbed.

Wordlessly, on the far side of the crater, the other, black haired shinobi half-turned towards them, signifying that he located which direction to head into. They gathered chakra to their feet in response and followed suit.

There wasn't a clear trail to follow. A few times they halted to search for further clues. Well, the men searched. She stopped trying when it became obvious that she couldn't beat their time. It made sense, though. In the Lost Night, they were trained to disguise, hide, and steal, not to track, stalk, and assassinate. Uhm…with a minimal stalking, that is.

Voreka crouched down and took the opportunity to rest while she and Kisame waited for Itachi's return to point out what the shark man spotted. A footprint on the ground.

"You know," Kisame said casually, after a moment, "I was under the impression that Lorichas' eyes can see and trace chakra." She peered up at him with a veiled gaze. Right, he was a missing nin from the Hidden Mist. A much-wanted one from what Waya described. He would probably know.

"You are correct. There are a few from the clan who have inherited the ability to awaken the Ajnagen, from the looks of it, Waya included. But it is not a dominate trait."

"You have the pink eyes."

She didn't have time to respond to that. Itachi was suddenly there, walking the rest of the few steps to come next to them. All he did was to give Kisame a near-invisible nod and leapt forward again. Seemed like they really were in a rush. Makes life easier for her.

However, not even three minutes into their flight, Kisame rounded back on the topic. "So, if you can't even use the 'third eye', then why are they after you?" He had to raise his voice to be heard clearly through the rush of air.

"…" Tsch…how was she to answer that? "…The usual reasons," Voreka replied. "I…ran away. That is enough reason."

Kisame slanted a look at her.

"They want you back."

She shrugged helplessly, one shoulder. "That, I do not understand either."

Right ahead of her, Itachi came to an abrupt halt. Luckily for her, Kisame reached to the side and grabbed her shoulder to stop her; otherwise she might've crashed into the sudden obstacle in her way. That would've been bad.

_Wh-what the hell?_

Seeing that the two were gazing down through the weave of branches, she also made to look.

…_Is that a corpse?_

The red eyed man moved on, without comment. And so they followed suit.

_…Tsch. Snap out of it. It's not like you didn't know there are deaths on missions._

But it bothered her, as it always did. To know that every departure is chancing to never return again. Still, _some _of them had to become ninjas, to keep the strength and tradition of the Night alive.

"Kisame-san…"

He grunted an acknowledgement. He heard her.

"How strong is this Naruto?"

"…"

She could tell that put him on his guard. Instead of answering, he looked to the back of the leader of their group.

"You can give me an idea," Voreka suggested.

"You won't need to face him," Kisame replied with a half-scowl.

"…Or you will most definitely die."

She looked to the front to meet the red-eyed stare he tossed over his shoulder at her. He had sensitive ears.

"I happen to be the hardest working Genin of the Night," she responded monotonously. Not the strongest, but hey, that should count for something.

"…Hmph."

_Although…now that I think of it…He did hint at their opponents being stronger. That is highly probable, then…_

"…You have no place in the shinobi world. Someone as cowardly as you…should stop trying to play ninja."

Voreka frowned at his turned back. He wasn't looking at her anymore, and so she could glare at him as much as she liked.

_You…bastard._

_I didn't _choose_ this path for myself. _

"So what if I'm relatively incompetent? It is my. dream."

…

A lie. A downright lie.

She wasn't quite sure what she said wrong, but it irritated him. She could feel it on her skin, although outwardly, he remained characteristically calm.

After a long pause in which she thought the conversation was over, his soft, emotionless voice trailed back to her again.

"…Was it your dream to kill, steal, and cheat?"

…

She pursed her lips before she could say something she might regret, thinking.

_…I suppose I _can_ view it in that light. _

_I don't pity him._

"It was my dream to make my clan proud of me," Voreka replied as a matter-of-factly. "It was my dream to protect and fight for those I care about."

"…Only to have run away," he reminded her coldly.

"…"

_Crap. I really fell for that one didn't I?_

"Tsc- Th-that's not the point."

Kisame glanced concernedly between the both of them.

"…Why did you not stop there?" His breathy question.

…

_What does it matter to _you

Why was he always…picking on her?

"Stop. You're making Kisame-san uneasy."

"Uh…" was Kisame's obvious affirmation.

Which Itachi ignored.

"…Why did you not choose to live a normal, secure life…staying at home?"

_Staying at home?_

_Why you-!_

That did it.

"It's because of _you_!" she snapped angrily. Immediately she clamped a hand over her mouth. Whoops. That was _not _right. "It's because of misogynists like _you_, I mean!" she amended.

_For a moment there, I…_

_…_

_"Please stay here, the path I follow is sewn with dangers you can't possibly imagine."_

_…_

_…I mistook him for…_

_…_

_"I'll always be with you, as the shadow you must catch up to…"_

_…_

_…_his_ shadow…_

_…_

_"And when that day arrives, come and look for me."_

_…_

_Haku._

_…_

_I loved you. _

_I won't forgive you._

"…Women are nothing but hindrances on the battlefield," he murmured coldly.

…

_Is he…testing my patience?_

Because her fingers were itching to send a swarm of needles his way. Fortunately, she had better self control than that.

She hoped.

_Guuh…_

"No-…You-…Ugh."

_What are you doing? Ignore him, you fool!_

"This is why. I hate men," Voreka muttered under her breath to Kisame, as if he weren't a man, himself. "Arrogant, close-minded…selfish…" she could've gone on. Except the object of her affections glanced back, and she still valued her life.

And he stopped moving, too.

Crap.

She almost regretted insulting him as he slowly backtracked towards her. Nonetheless, she spoke the truth, something she hardly allowed room for herself to feel regret for doing.

Kisame stepped away.

Itachi's smooth, velvety voice flowed over her. "…That is what you claim, but…" One hand reached out for her, but then apparently rethought it, coming to rest on the front of his high collar instead. Blood red eyes gazed down at her skeptically.

"…In the end, you all want a man strong enough to look after you…To fight for your honor…" he stated softly, his eyes mocking, or as mocking as it would look on his stoic face.

She felt her jaw go slack. She would've preferred him to have hit her or something.

"Not true."

_…But I guess I can see where he got that theory. _

_Top of his class. Popular. Considered to be extremely dashing by the girls. _That was what she could make out from the short span of time she lived inside his mind, his memory.

_Just like…_

_…_him_…_

"Not _every _girl is like what you've seen!" Somehow she found the strength to speak clearly. "Not_ every_ girl _wants _to feel dominated! Eh-"

Voreka stilled as he leaned forward, far enough that she couldn't look up to see his face. The tip of his shoulder brushed her chin.

"…And you?"

_don't.scream.don't.scream._

She was sure her heart was beating loud enough for him to hear.

_Crap. Say _something_, or do something dammit! Get him. off._

"Have I ever told you I love your hair?" Voreka asked monotonously.

* * *

-

Voreka shivered, but it wasn't from the sight in laid out in front of her.

Obliterated was the word.

Every time he got as close as an arm-span, she felt the urge to scream. She supposed, given the predatory stalking nature of their mission, it was a good thing he didn't get that close, that often.

She could not begin to describe the destruction their precedents left behind. It hurt her mind just looking at their handiwork.

As the other two surveyed the site, she wandered off, knowing that it would take a while.

_So, what am I do to, now?_

Follow along, of course. She wanted to meet this Naruto, didn't she?

_Yes…but…what happens after that?_

_…_

_You really think they'll just let you walk away?_

She tapped herself on the side of her head to shut herself up.

No problem. She didn't plan on staying around for that long.

_I wonder if the other Genins made it back by now. It's past the halfway point already. _

Voreka sighed inwardly.

_Not even a single moment of peace…_

"…Come…we are leaving."

She was waiting for him to get a bit further away before rising to stand, but he halted, and then glanced back, waiting.

"…"

She made to stand, but abruptly sat back down when his eyes flashed at her.

_W-what did I do?_

They remained fixed in that position until he finally blinked and spoke.

"…Your internal wounds have not closed."

Yes. She knew that; she could still feel chakra leaking. Someone like Waya would be able to find her easily, again.

"If the fever's gone, I can operate." Voreka raised a hand to her forehead as if to demonstrate, but it came in contact with metal instead. Without knowing it, her fingers lightly trailed the long, jagged slash across her headband.

"…"

She might've been embarrassed if only she knew what it was to be embarrassed about.

He didn't look convinced. No, not at all. Well, she supposed it was impossible to tell with him, but still.

Tsch. Why would he care, all of a sudden?

"…The hardest working Genin…?" The black haired shinobi recalled what she claimed thoughtfully.

"I'm not afraid of pain or hardships," she confirmed, but not in a boastful way.

"…Or just…foolish?"

She stared at him.

Rendered absolutely speechless.

_You told me I am weak._

_I admit that._

_You told me I am soft._

_Fine. I admit that, as well._

_But now you-…mock me for pushing myself?_

_What the hell do you want from me?_

Finally, after much struggle, she found her voice.

"I don't understand you."

_And I will not try. So stop trying to mess with my head._

He turned away, much to her relief.

But the topic was not dropped, not just yet.

"…What do you fear?"

"You're asking a lot of questions today…" Voreka muttered to herself.

"…You are afraid to answer them," Itachi observed.

Her eye twitched. Good thing he couldn't see that, with his back to her.

…

_Abandonment. _

_I fear abandonment. _

_…_

She reached to move up her forehead protector further away from her eyes. Suddenly it felt heavy, a burden.

_And because you hold that fate in your hands._

_…_

_I fear you._

"Fine. I am a coward as well as everything else you label me as." Crossing her arms, she turned her back to his back.

_Why does it…hurt? _

"Are you happy, now?"

_Do I see…_him_…looking through at me?_

_There is no resemblance._

"…He left you, am I right?" Itachi murmured softly.

"…"

She remembered in time that he overheard several conversations in which Haku was mentioned.

"…Heh…Everyone will leave you," he told her in his quiet, hypnotic voice, "…Even those you thought loved you…"

An image of _her _flashed into her mind. _Her. _

**Her.**

Voreka's hands shot to her temples as if trying to block out the pain.

"Stop."

He might've not even heard her breathless whisper.

"…Whichever clan you immerse into…will betray you once you are of no further use."

She spun back to face him, incredulous that he would think that. "No," she dissented.

"…In the end, you will still be alone. Your search for acceptance…is nothing but foolishness. That longing…is your weakness." He half-turned, meeting her wide eyes with his crimson glare.

_"…You are weak."_

His whispered words, from before.

_"…Why are you weak?"_

"…What you fear…is abandonment," Itachi continued, causing her to lose her breath, "…Because of this attachment. You fear failure. You hide your drawbacks. For this reason."

_…_

_I…can't even…contradict him…_

_Who is this man?_

"…How foolish," his cold, soft voice flooded her senses. "…What you seek…is not real," he told her calmly, his tone never changing, never changing pace. "…What is the well-being of the whole…is blind to the succor of the individual."

She clenched her fists at her sides, staring fixedly at his shoulder instead of his eyes.

_So? I know that._

_I don't…care._

"…Where would you go, then, after they turned their backs on you?"

…

It better be a rhetorical question. She had no answer.

"…That is why, such bonds, are your weakness."

"…"

She was never going to complain about his usually silent nature, again.

"…Everyone will leave you," he repeated, "…Only one thing will remain."

"…" Voreka pursed her lips.

"…If you truly wish to be strong. Hate. Despise. Learn to depend on no one."

…

_"…You will assist us in our mission, and I will make you…powerful."_

…

_Like it or not. I think I understand him…a little better…_

"Do I-…"

…

_"…The only difference between me, and you…"_

_…_

Gathering up enough courage, she met his eyes. "Do I perhaps somehow remind you of _yourself_?"

His eyes narrowed at her. She blinked and looked away.

"…" "…No. Not at all."

"…"

Expertly avoiding his gaze, Voreka rose to her feet slowly. "I am not…dense. You have a reason for telling me this. You have a reason for bothering with me." Her eyes found the familiar spot on his shoulder. "Am I your…some form of…experiment?"

The wait for his answer was long and awkward, on her part.

"…" "…You are mistaken." He didn't elaborate. There was no telling if he spoke the truth.

"…"

Why was everything so complicated when it came to him?

"Please, let's just go," she pleaded with a resigned sigh.

She started to head back to where they were before she wandered off, but she knew she had to get past him in order to do so. Itachi wasn't someone you could simply brush past and expect to live. Voreka stopped when she was parallel to him, each facing opposite directions.

Neither moved nor spoke for the longest time.

"You don't know me, Uchiha," she whispered confidently. "I am not the same as you."

Her heart rate was_ not_ in tune with her breathing. She was getting more than a bit lightheaded.

"…We will see."

She heard him shift.

"Kisame."

Her eyes snapped around in surprise.

"I was uh. Making sure everything is alright, is all."

"…"

You bet she wasn't the only one favoring the shark man with a frown.

"And I didn't want to intrude anything so I waited here…" He returned their looks with a scowl of his own. "So. Are we leaving?"

Voreka replied with a curt, "Yes", simultaneously as Itachi said, "No."

"…"

"So which is it?"

"…Till first light," Itachi decided for the three of them.

Voreka glanced at the sky. Sure enough, it had already taken up an orange hue. They were behind schedule, already.

"I-…"

His red eyes turned to her.

"I said nothing."

* * *

-

Heavy footfalls. Not that it was intentionally loud, but neither was he trying not to disturb her rest.

"Voreka."

…

Kisame folded his arms impassively. "You're _not_ asleep."

"I could be," she mumbled. "It's been a long day."

"You are too disturbed to sleep."

Voreka shifted to one side so that she could peer up at him through narrowed eyes. "Now that he's off on watch, I was hoping to actually relax a bit. But I'm guessing you're not going to allow me the luxury, are you?"

"So. You admit to being affected by him."

She rolled onto her face. "You just totally missed my meaning," he heard her muffled reply.

A snort. He lay down across from her, a respectful distance away. She peeked to her side to see he had his back to her. After several seconds' worth of debating with herself, she sighed.

"You wanted to talk to me about something?" she inquired warily.

"Checking to see if you're still sane."

"…Oh."

"Don't want to be asleep next to someone who's lost it."

"…Good point."

"…"

_"Just checking to see, because I'm not much of a cook, and I'd like to give Itachi-san a break, ya?"_

_…_

"How is it that…you care about…someone like him?"

"Hm? We're partners."

"…" "That's it?"

He let out a chiding, _'hmph. _"Some amateur you are."

She waited.

"When you want to survive in a world such as this, it's not about whom you like, or whom you don't like."

That sounded familiar.

"It's about cooperating with who you work with to achieve your own ends, and trust them well enough to not stab you in the back."

…

_I don't…belong in this world._

"That is why," Kisame's flat, drawling voice continued, "If I suspect that you will hinder us in any way. I will not hesitate."

"…I know that."

"Neither will he."

"…That was one line too many."

"Ha!" Kisame exclaimed. "Of all the years that I've known him, he's never revealed as much as he did to you."

…

_I don't exactly consider myself fortunate in that._

Although…strangely, it made her curious.

"Was he…referring to himself, you think?"

"Eh. Who knows." A pause. Amusement tinged his next sentence. "Do you care?"

"…" "Kisame-san. You eavesdropper."

"Get some rest," he grunted. "They might be back tomorrow."

…

_"As long as I have light, you can't defeat my speed, hmm?"_

_…_

He was right…If Atari came back for her, it would have to be in broad daylight.

By falcon messaging, the new orders would've been exchanged before the night was over.

Perhaps he grudged her for delaying their mission.

"I-…"

…

_"…If you truly wish to be strong. Hate. Despise. Learn to depend on no one."_

_…_

_He's right about one thing. I can't keep depending on others to save me. _

_…_

_"…And you?"_

…

_No. I am not._

"I will take care of them, next time," Voreka vowed to Kisame's back.


	11. Stop breaking my mind

A/N: I know. I suck. I can't write.

**Hououza: **Thank you for giving me insight to the reader's mind XD

**Miranda: **Bu-but I told you I wouldn't quit o.o

This chapter needs later revision. Remind me, eh?

* * *

**Chapter 11 – "Stop breaking my mind."**

* * *

-

'Next time' came with a softness she did not expect. Not at dawn, as she'd thought, no.

Not after the sun has risen to its highest, no.

Nor at the first star of dusk.

She breathed her first sigh of relief when dark fully settled its weight on her shoulders.

They did not come.

She was not comforted. It may mean one more day without disturbance, but wouldn't it also increase the risk of her adversaries being better prepared?

…

Maybe she was worrying too much. Surely she hadn't suddenly turned important enough for them to keep chase. That wouldn't make any sense.

Still…

She considered asking one of the two men for a spar, but decided against it. Kisame's sword was too disturbing, and she the hell didn't want to fight Itachi again. He did wonders to her self-esteem.

Admittedly, the tension between them, namely herself and Itachi, had lessened, if only by a bit. It was due to the existence of the unofficial challenge between the two. He had classified her as someone who had every possibility to turn out like him, and she had denied it. Now they could only wait and see.

So she settled for tuning her mind in deep meditation. Or, rather, working on her "separate minds" required for the Yamanaka techniques. How it was supposed to work is that one part of her conscious needed to subdue the victim's mind, while the other part takes over full control of his or her body.

Come to think of it, that must be the reason why, as with most clans, the techniques within a clan weren't effective while fighting other clansmen of the same clan. They've either developed ways to counter their own techniques, or outright immunity to them. Two "minds" can be easily countered with two minds.

"…Your focus is off," a soft, silky voice melted into the quiet night.

"…"

She made a point of not responding, but after a while it became apparent that he wasn't going to leave without a reply of some sort.

"How so?"

And, well, she was curious.

Opening her eyes, she sought out his form in the dark. His red eyes glowed eerily with a disquieting light.

_…_

_Did he follow me all the way out here to pick on me some more?_

_Tsch._

"…It is not a doujutsu. You are accustomed to concentrating your chakra to your eyes."

Voreka made herself sit still, quirking an eyebrow up at him. "You…can see things like that?"

He didn't answer her. She tensed as he raised one hand, but it was only to use one finger to tap his own forehead, between his two expressive eyebrows. "…Focus here."

Then he turned to leave.

…

She hesitated.

"Uchiha."

_I'm so going to die._

She could tell he didn't like it when she addressed him by his clan name. She just…had to see how he reacted to it, of course.

"…Uhm…I…"

Crap. Her brain just shut down. Again.

"C-can you help me train for a bit?"

…

She didn't know what she expected, but it didn't involve him actually pausing to consider it.

"…You do not need unnecessary injuries. I will not go easy on you."

Voreka rubbed the back of her neck. Well, there's that, too.

"…" She thought about it. Since Itachi didn't seem to be in a hurry to head back to camp, maybe she could be bold enough to ask for conditions. "Hand-to-hand. No jutsu."

If he said 'no', she'd be relieved. Already she was beginning to regret asking him to spar.

"…" "…Very well."

_Very well?_

"Fine," she muttered her reply. Nevertheless, she slid her forehead protector over her eyes. What? She needed the practice.

Getting up, she adopted her evasive stance. "I'm ready."

---

They sparred for what seemed to be hours on end. So long that Kisame eventually came to check up on them, and had afterwards dozed off beneath a nearby tree while waiting for them to finish.

Despite what he claimed, Itachi must've been going easy on her. How else was he ready to stop every time she needed a break? For sure, she needed to stop often enough to drive any martial arts instructor mad. Itachi was surprisingly patient.

Unless, of course, he was good at hiding it.

Her movements were getting sluggish.

"Can we-…stop-…?" she got out between gasps. "I can't-…feel my arms."

In fact, she couldn't feel anything else except her lungs.

"…Urgh." Deciding that she couldn't be much worse off, Voreka flopped down on the ground regardless.

After spending several long minutes in suspense, she reached a hand up to push up her headband.

He had sat himself down soundlessly where they have left off. He, too, seemed to be catching his breath, although a lot less noticeably. Then again, it's not like she was able to land a hit on him.

"Doesn't it get tiring, having your Sharingan eye on like that all the time?"

She raised her hands when he gave her a sidelong glare.

"I didn't mean to pry."

"…Why do you ask?" he spoke in his usual soft voice, not a trace of defensiveness evident.

"I suppose it's impossible to make small talk with you."

If it hadn't been so dark, she might've been able to make out a small curl to the corner of his lips.

"…Or is there…a reason for your wondering?"

She said nothing. Itachi spoke again.

"…It looks like nine minutes is your capacity."

Voreka sighed resignedly. "Yeah."

Before, when she was younger, it was only five minutes of intense activity before she started running out of breath. Let's just say her endurance, despite training, hadn't gone up that much.

"I should've known you'd be timing me," she muttered to herself.

"…You cannot turn them off." He made it a statement, not a question, though she realized by then that he simply never _asked _questions. If he desired an explanation, he covered it by making a bold statement, expecting perhaps for the other person to contradict him, and all his 'questions' were means to pry into the underneath.

Just one slip of a tongue can make known all your weaknesses to this man.

"…" "I have my reasons for not wanting to continue this conversation right now."

She rolled over, attempting to find a position against the ground with the least amount of bruises. "Good night."

…

Goddess, what was it about him that keeps getting under her skin?

Why did she find him so-…

…

Plus, there was a constant nagging at the back of her mind saying that there was something she was forgetting; a memory which continuously succeeded in eluding her. He was in that memory. Or was he?

Argh.

_I must be going mad. _

Her breathing eventually calmed down, but she remained restless. Undeniably, she had started to feel something new stacked on top of all the other emotions he invoked in her; curiosity.

Why?

Because…

"You didn't answer my question," she stated, more as a reminder to herself.

"…" Naturally, Itachi said nothing.

Voreka drew in a deep breath. "You said something about me being no different from you… Uhm-…A-are you an-"

"No."

…

"Hmm. Nevermind, then."

She heard the tinge of wry amusement in his voice when he spoke next.

"…Disappointed?"  
"No, relieved," she replied simply. So he wasn't an Anomalous. At least, that's what he claimed. It could've been possible; she knew from experience that keeping a doujutsu constantly activated required an unending, steady flow of chakra. How does he manage that?

As if sensing further questions which he wouldn't bother with answering, Itachi stood abruptly and stalked off.

Voreka listened to his footsteps until they faded and rubbed her eyes. "_Tell me I'm not like you,_" she muttered to herself.

* * *

-

Someone's hand encircled her throat, his smooth, masculine voice murmured into her ear, "Voreka."

She woke instantly, heart hammering in her chest.

_What?_

Groggily, she recognized the crimson red of Itachi's eyes staring down at her. He was leaning close, close enough to be obscuring her whole view.

"…Your friends are here."

She blinked. But it was still dark.

_Hmm. This was unexpected._

He pulled away, allowing her room to get up.

Voreka rubbed her neck where she had felt his touch. "You didn't have to wake me up like that."

She got up, taking a good look around her. Kisame was nowhere to be seen, and she could only conclude that he was already preoccupied with something. Aside from Itachi, nothing else moved.

Just the two of them, huh?

She moved to stand behind him, a little to the side. "How many?"

"…" He seemed to be absorbed in deep concentration, so she decided to leave it at that.

"Atari," Voreka called. "You're back sooner than expected."

"New orders were immediate," Atari's pretty voice sang, "We are to bring you back without delay."

Two misplacements of air before them. Atari, with her mask in place, and beside her, Waya.

"Just the two of you…?" Voreka couldn't help asking.

"Two more with Hoshigaki at the moment," Waya replied courteously. "Our own team. We couldn't get many reinforcements in this short amount of time."

"But it is enough," Atari stated, a faint hissing sound in her voice.

…

_…Uhm…_

"Don't be haughty, Mezhari-san," Atari warned her, "All great men have a weakness, hmm?"

Well, that was true. Voreka glanced to Itachi to see his reaction to that.

"…" "…Is that so?" he asked quietly. "…I will not hold back, this time."

She wasn't sure who made the first move, but the two hunter-nin of the Mist suddenly scattered in opposite directions, followed by a roaring cascade of water tumbling her way.

Voreka barely had time to brace herself, much less get out of its way. She managed to grab hold of a tree branch as the flood carried her backwards, coughing up water as she resurfaced. The miniature tsunami died down, and she found herself standing on water around the depth of her height, judging by how far it reached up the trunk of the tree.

Except it wasn't ordinary water. Try as she might, somehow she wasn't able to concentrate the right amount of chakra to be able to stand upright in it. Her legs sank into the altered liquid no matter how hard she tried.

…Uh oh.

She heard the swooshing of air as something appeared behind her.

_Shit._

Voreka glanced around in time to see Waya finish performing his seals, and then splashed his hands downwards into the water.

It froze over.

The whole area of water beneath her feet, around her ankles, spreading out as far as the jutsu could reach.

Ice.

She was stuck.

"It's over," Waya told her from behind. He drew out his senbon needles from within his sleeve, but that was as far as he got. Waya raised his free arm to block Itachi's blow, nonetheless it sent the brown haired hunter-nin skidding back on the ice.

"Atari," Waya calmly addressed his partner.

"…Yeah…" Atari answered, suddenly appearing beside him. She was clutching her stomach as if it ailed her. "Kuh…I'm fine."

From beside her, Voreka heard Itachi tell her without glancing in her direction in his smooth, cold voice, "…Do not let your guard down again."

…

_Tsch. That's easy for_ you_ to say. _

"I'm kind of…stuck…"

You would think he knew that, but she had to point it out to be sure. After all, it was dark.

Her comment drew no reaction from the black haired man.

"You think you can fend off the both of us while protecting her?" Atari asked sweetly. "It won't be easy, hmm? We've been told to bring Mezhari back to the Mist. That doesn't mean she has to be alive…"

The two moved simultaneously, nothing more than two brushstrokes of black in the darkness. The sound of flying shuriken rang through her head the instant before she shot her throwing needles to counter them. Waya took advantage of the opening it created to fling his tide of needles at her.

"Ah-…!"

Voreka winced, but she heard the clattering of steel meeting steel, and then the sound of needles skidding on the surface of the ice.

"…"

"It-…"

_Itachi? _

She stared at the man in front of her. The clone he'd conjured up melted away into shadows, but it couldn't have been enough. Though she couldn't tell from her position and the dark, it was definitely humanly impossible to deflect all of Waya's needles without earning a scratch.

And you all know how fatal his 'scratches' were.

"…I see, now," Itachi finally said. "…Your real focus in that attack…was not her."

"Heh," Atari interjected. "Just like a gentleman to defend his lover, hmm? Mezhari-san, it seems you have good taste."

"…" She saw Itachi lift his head. His soft, malicious voice snaked out, "…I will end this, now."

Voreka dictated her hands to form the seals she needed from memory. There was no winter in the Night Country, but a jutsu for melting ice was one of the first techniques invented, one that they've been taught.

_This better work._

_**Ice Element: Point Break!**_

She slapped her hand down to the surface of the ice which was trapping her feet. The surface cracked and splintered, coming loose. Voreka concentrated chakra to her fist, bringing it down so to shattering it the rest of the way for her to yank her feet out.

Ahead of her, Itachi flew towards Atari, disrupting her attempt to break her partner out of his genjutsu.

"Hmmph," the hunter-nin scoffed. "Come at me, yeah. Waya can handle himself."

Atari leapt back, dodging Itachi's shuriken. Then he was suddenly behind her, one powerful back-sidekick sending her crashing through the less dense ice. The splash was followed by the sound of bubbles. A lot of bubbles.

Voreka had gotten away from the hole she'd created by breaking free from the ice, but the next instant, she felt the ice beneath her feet shatter. A punch connected with her jaw, sending her upwards as Atari's real form splashed out of the hole Voreka had made. This time the hunter-nin's blow centered on her chest, knocking the wind out of her lungs.

She vaguely registered the fact that Atari's hit sent her shooting backwards at a neck-break speed; everything she saw was a black blur.

Atari had been, and still was, stronger than she.

Trees actually snapped in two upon their impact. Voreka was showered by a generous fountain of dirt. That was the least of her worries, however.

…

She felt as if she'd forgotten to breathe.

"Heh," Atari's voice snapped her attention back to the hunter-nin. Her silhouette appeared next to the wreck. "It looks like his 'weakness'…is you, hmm?"

Itachi withdrew his arms from around her. Voreka stood up quickly so that she wasn't crushing him.

"Now it's just me and you, Mezhari-san. Just like old times."

"…" Itachi sat up, but he said nothing. A frown laced his eyebrows beneath his headband.

"Mezhari-san," Atari addressed. "We'll leave the two alone, if you'll just come with us."

The hunter-nin abruptly stepped back. "Heh," she muttered, her voice slightly shaky, "I know what this is… Genjutsu." Atari clapped her hands together. "Kai!"  
Voreka glanced back at Itachi. He raised one hand to his eyes as if they bothered him.

He stood, as steadily as he usually did, one hand brandishing a kunai from within the sleeve of his cloak.

She glanced back at Atari, who stood no chance if she couldn't break herself free of the genjutsu in the next moment.

"…Itachi…"

She didn't know why, and she wasn't in a position to make requests, but she found that she still didn't want Atari to die.

_Why…?_

They had been so close. So close.

Where did it go wrong?

Voreka shut her eyes briefly before resolving to stand in his way.

"I'm sorry. Please don't kill her," she pleaded.

His red eyes stared down at her, but she didn't dare to meet his scrutiny.

"…Very well," Itachi said finally, for the second time that night. He flipped the kunai in his hand so that he was offering the handle-end to her. "…_You _kill her."

Her eyes snapped up to meet his, widening at what he said, no, commanded. Did she just…hear him right?

"I-"

"…They will never let you go," his voice brushed past her, "…Kill her."

She backed away, unable to commit herself to something like that. "I can't-"

His eyes narrowed at her.

"…Are you just going to let her kill you?"

"I…don't know," she replied truthfully, looking away.

She didn't move as he drew closer.

…

"…You are weak."

"He's right, Mezhari-san," Atari's voice rang out. She let the shuriken in her grasp fall to the ground. The smell of blood wafted through the night. "I will not be ruled by a weak heir." A dark form landed next to the hunter-nin. It seemed that Waya, too, released himself out of the genjutsu binding him.

"I'll take care of her," Atari told Waya. He nodded once in acknowledgement before launching himself at Itachi.

"Your fight is with me, Mezhari-san," Atari told her as she blocked her view of the other battle going on. Voreka blocked her punch, staring at the masked face of her former best friend.

"Atari, why?" she asked, frowning in disbelief.

Atari swung at her, breaking free of their deadlock as both leapt back.

"Orders," the hunter-nin said simply. "You know how it is."

"…" Voreka pursed her lips. "Whose orders?"

She evaded the round of kicks Atari showered her with.

"Like me, there are those who believe the Loricha does not need a weak heir."

She deflected Atari's mirror shuriken with her throwing needles.

"…What are you talking about? _She _already gave up on me years ago!"

At that, Atari laughed. A tinkling, sinister laugh.

"But, Mezhari-san," she pointed out sweetly, "It would seem that you've gotten over your fear of men, hmm?"

Voreka took a hit to her chest. She stumbled back.

Atari drew out kunai from her robe. "Don't worry. I won't tell them the truth."

The razor sharp blades cut her, but she escaped heavy injuries.

"The sun is rising," the hunter-nin commented, her breath coming out in small puffs. The genjutsu must've worn her down.

"I'm not afraid of that," Voreka replied. After all, this time she had solid earth beneath her feet. If she didn't have to worry about Waya's Ajnagen, then the Night's dark summoning jutsu would work effectively against Atari's bloodline limit.

"Heh," Atari scoffed.

They went at each other again. Even without using her bloodline limit, Atari was fast. Fast meant she wasn't given enough time to perform seals.

"Is this your best, hmm?" Atari asked as they entered another deadlock, each one clutching the other's fist in their hand. "The main branch…to end up with you…that is unfortunate."

That went straight to her heart.

Atari took her momentary distraction to trip her off balance, and then sent a kick to her right temple before she could react.

Her head swam.

"Crap. That was low, Atari."

Voreka flung up her arms to shield her head from the hunter-nin's kunai.

Blood trickled down her elbows, onto the ground. Time stood still as she felt Atari's presence suddenly next to her.

"It's not my fault you still get distracted by the past, Mezhari-san." Atari drew her arm back to strike.

"Atari!" Waya yelled.

Voreka used her hands to brace herself against the ground, executing a vertical side-kick as Atari slashed her kunai down. The weapon flew out of the hunter-nin's grasp. She reached for another one, but was stopped by a hand on her arm.

"Atari, what do you think you're doing?" Waya demanded between gasps for air.

There was a rush of air behind her. Voreka glanced back to see Itachi and Kisame standing, to either side. A tense silence descended between the five battle-weary ninjas. The clockwork going on inside each one's mind was almost tangible.

"We're leaving," Waya declared calmly. His hand tightened warningly on Atari's arm. "I apologize for Atari's behavior, Mezhari-san, it had not been our order to try and kill you. She has stepped out of line, and will be dealt with accordingly."

He raised his free hand in front of his chest in a seal. "It seems that, without her cooperation, this mission had been a failure. Till next time…"

A shroud of mist rose from the ground. Then they were gone.

After she was sure they were gone, Voreka turned around.

Kisame looked bloodied, but she couldn't tell if it was his own blood. He was still standing, a scowl fixed on his face as he continued to stare at where the two hunter-nins were.

Itachi, on the other hand…

"What did I miss?" the shark man asked, curious. They both eyed the black haired shinobi as he supported his weight by resting one elbow against the trunk of a tree.

She nervously checked her own wounds. How was she going to tell him that his partner was injured because he shielded her from the impact of Atari's blow?

As if he'd believe her.

"…You'll want to ask him, instead."

Kisame looked to her for long enough for her to wonder about what he was thinking, but he said nothing.

"I don't know what just happened. Everything was so fast," she admitted. "I just-…Give me a moment alone, please."

Without waiting for a reply, she moved away to be by herself.

Atari.

She didn't know what to make of that, and what was going to happen to her former best friend.

For six years she'd lived with the fact that her clansmen would kill her if they knew she was still alive. But to find out that her closet friend, rival, kindred, hated her that much…well, that was a bit different.

_Heir._

What the heck was with that? She still didn't know what was going on, except that it had something to do with her being heir to the main house. Supposed heir.

And Itachi. Not only did he injure himself because of her, but she'd openly defied him yet again. Plus, she didn't think Kisame would approve.

She was in so much trouble, now.

…

Voreka glanced back. Kisame had walked up to Itachi and had sat down a small distance away. From what she observed, the red eyed man was injured, his chakra system impaired and definitely his back as well.

If she could just escape…

…return to the Night, and never set foot outside its borders again.

Then she wouldn't have to face him.

…

Voreka drew in a steadying breath and made up her mind.

Might as well get it all over with.


	12. I won't have you crush my goal

**ShadowedSilverMist:** Thank you! I think Voreka's character is developing nicely. Itachi's harder, though. I mean, I can't portray him with many weaknesses because the anime/manga doesn't support that, but I can't make him invincible either, because…that'd be immortalizing him. LoL Same thing with his character. Argh.

I'm also avoiding using Itachi's POV because. He's mysterious. That's why we all luff him!

Might get another chapter done before going on one month's vacation. Keep cheering me on, guys!

* * *

**Chapter 12 – "I won't have you crush my goal."**

* * *

-

She made her move after Kisame disappeared off somewhere, presumably to tidy himself up.

Yes, despite having made up her mind about it, the deed wasn't easy. As with anything else, Itachi didn't make it easy for her.

Even without his Sharingan activated, this man could burn holes into the back of her skull with his glare alone.

"Umm…I just want-ted to-…uh…"

Of course, it wasn't the best of times to irk him. He_ looked_ like he was in pain, and that counted for something, coming from the apathetic man. She tried not to wince or glance to the sides for escape routes.

"I-…Thank you."

Voreka was positive that was the hardest thing she ever had to say.

His long-lashed eyes narrowed threateningly.

"…" "…I did not save you because-" his slow, mesmerizing voice started to explain.

"I know," she cut him off. They glared at one another.

Itachi got off from the ground, so that they were eye-to-eye.

"…If you were wise, you would take this opportunity to escape," he murmured, almost to himself. Was it just her or…did his voice sound more breathy than usual?

"Well you see…" She waved a hand dismissively. "I was going to try and do just that_ after_ I thank you. So, if you'll excuse me…"

Before she could react, he had her arm locked in his grip.

"That was a joke. …Uh. Could you stop crushing my arm?"

He was going to leave a heck of a bruise. The man was going a little too far, even for him.

"…" "It hurts that much?" she dared to ask. It wasn't a smart move but…anything was better than the suspense crushing her at that moment.

_Heh heh heh. Someone, please, just kill me _now

Itachi let go of her arm abruptly. Abruptly, because it didn't seem like he could hold on without breaking her wrist.

Voreka sighed inwardly.

_This better not be a scheme of his to bind me by my honor._

_I can't help feeling just a little…ungrateful._

"I can neutralize the poison," she offered with a sigh. It was probably Waya's nerve-disrupting poison at work, which in this case must be amplifying the pain.

Itachi looked…skeptical.

"I've been trained!" Voreka added defensively.

"…Why?"

She quirked an eyebrow at his question. "Because it's a good idea to know ho-"

"No," he stopped her short.

…

She waited.

"…Why would you try to fix me?"

…

Trick question?

"Because…I owe you a favor…for saving me twice…" Voreka said slowly.

"…Heh. The only reason-"

"I know," she said quickly. "But I am a willful person. I don't intend to…remain with you forever." She blinked and looked aside to rest her eyes. "You…let me live."

He took a step closer. She felt his cool, long fingers slide around her throat, felt her own pulse against his palms, but she didn't try to pull away despite the growing fear. He wouldn't…kill her…after going that far to save her life…would he?

"…Do you cling that desperately to life?" his voice hummed next to her ear. Voreka clenched her jaw and tried not to let their close proximity bother her.

"…If I take…everything…away from you…" Itachi's voice hissed. "…Will you still thank me, for sparing your life? Or will you…hate me?"

She laid a hand on one of his arms warningly. It may not be intentional, but he was cutting short her air.

"Of course I'd hate you for it. What kind of question is that?"

"Heh."

He let go. She rotated her head to work out the soreness.

_Now, _this, _I don't understand. _

"Itachi-san. You already _are_ trying to take away my everything. My village is my everything. You can't pretend you didn't know that."

_So…_

She drew in a breath and met his eyes incredulously. "Are you _trying_ to make me hate you?"

After several long minutes of silence, she pinched herself.

Nope, still awake.

_Oookay. This is really awkward. For me._

Voreka cleared her throat. "I think it's best if you uh lie down, Itachi-san."

_Because I think you might just accidentally kill me any second, now, if you don't rest up._

"I'll need access to your back, if you want me to undo the poison."

How steady her voice sounded surprised herself. But she held her breath until, after some thought, the black haired man turned and knelt down on the ground. She wasn't deluded. He'll know if she tried anything…stupid…

Pursing her lips, Voreka knelt behind him. It took her a tremendous amount of willpower to simply touch his back. She realized that his hair, his ponytail under his cloak, was in the way.

_…_

_I guess I should say something._

"Uh-…th-t-…uhm…" She coughed and rolled her eyes at herself. "Do you think you can-…"

He did so without her having to complete her sentence, placing his cloak beside him. She flipped his hair over his shoulder to the front. He had healthy hair. This man took good care of his body.

"I'm going to-" she winced "-feel your back. It might hurt a bit."

Itachi made no response, which she hoped meant that she could go ahead.

Channeling chakra into her arms, for the second time, she let herself immerse with the man, this time physically instead of mentally. The first thing she felt made her blink in surprise.

He had an enormous chakra reserve. Maybe not as large as hers, but way beyond average.

She put that aside in the back of her mind to ponder on later, concentrating at what she was supposed to do. His nerve impulses…chaotic…chakra was leaking everywhere. Voreka moved her hands along his back, feeling for the cause.

It wasn't hard to locate the cause of his pain. He'd injured his spine…there were some small cracks. That part, she couldn't do anything about.

…

_That must hurt. What a…tremendous amount of willpower._

"Alright…This will take a while so…you might want to sit down."

"…No," he said without hesitation, "…That is fine."

_Ugh. Fine. Guess I'll have to kneel as well._

Without further comment, Voreka got down to work. It was a long, tedious process to work with someone with so much chakra. By allowing her to do this, he was actually letting her learn a lot about his power. It was…interesting. He seemed to have a balance of bits of everything.

She wasn't sure how long it took, but she was sweating by the time she was done. Itachi, she found as she went around to peer at him, was already asleep, while kneeling. She found that just a little funny.

Voreka leaned down. "Itachi-san, this isn't good for your spine. It's better if you lie down."

Either he couldn't hear her, or he was ignoring her. She waved her hands in front of his closed eyelids and got no reaction. He really had nice long eyelashes, long enough to brush his cheekbone when his eyes were open.

She hesitated. If he were really out of it…then she could…

Slowly, Voreka reached one hand towards him. The next moment she found herself on her back, her wrist locked in his grip.

"I was just-"

"…Never. try that again," he whispered menacingly.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and giggled. Yes, she giggled. Can we say…hysteria?

It was a good thing she managed to get it under control when he frowned down at her.

"…Is something amusing, Girl?"

"Yes." She choked on a laugh and coughed. "It's just. I'm starting to find you predictable…in a…an unpredictable way." She peered up at him through veiled eyes. She, for one, was bothered by the position they were currently in. Voreka bit her lip.

"I'm sorry. I won't-…try that jutsu on you again…"

Itachi made no response; only kept staring at her with his dark navy blue eyes as if he could see her lie. She didn't know why, but that just started her off giggling again.

What the heck was _wrong_ with her?

"You can't-…scare me-…as much as-…before-…" she got out between breaths. If he decided to kill her for that, after going through so much, why, she'd die laughing. There's still no understanding this man.

A small smirk formed on his lips. He pressed his weight down on her, effectively silencing her at once. His words caressed her cheek as he asked, "…Oh, can I not?"

…

_Don't scream. It's undignified. _

_Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!_

And she couldn't move, either. Her pulse throbbed so strongly in her throat that it hurt.

"Alright. You win. I can't breathe." Suffocating from fear, that is.

"Well, well, well. I never thought I'd live to see this, hmm?"

She blinked up into a light cobalt eye. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Itachi frown up at the intruder.

"…You?"

"Itachi-san, you wound me! Of course I'd be the only one who believed you actually needed assistance, yeah! And here I am!"

The blonde pouted, and it looked almost a mocking gesture. "It looks like I missed the show, hmm?" The only visible brow on his face arched exaggeratedly. "But Itachi, I'd never thought I'd see you be able to find a girl who didn't pass out if you touch her!"

Ignoring that, Itachi slowly got up to his feet. Then he left them alone, without a backwards glance. She let out a long sigh of relief and got up herself.

The blonde was sizing her up. Voreka returned the favor.

He was taller than her. Well, she wasn't exactly considered tall, herself. A black cloak with red…things on it, identical to the other two's, draped around him. It looked better on him than the other two, for it fitted comfortably around his body, showing off his lithe torso.

His features, she found, were androgynous, but there was something about him which gave off an aura which was male. Maybe it was the way his eye radiated mischief, and at the same time spoke of dangers he was capable of. Or maybe it was his lips, seductive, musing, and mocking at the same time. He was a blend of everything which screamed, _'You better watch your back around me.'_

"Soooo," he spoke first, drawling. "I heard it from Kisame-san." He folded his arms, cocked his head to one side and peered at her quizzically. She caught a glimpse of his other eye. The man – or boy – rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How'd you get him to open up to you, hmm?"

"Are you gay?"

"…" "…HUH? What are you saying? I am_ not_!" Then he looked to the side sheepishly. "Just because I'm not interested in girls doesn't mean I'm gay, yeah?"

…

_Oookay._

_He's kind of cute, I guess._

"Your name is?" Voreka inquired.

"Deidara." He extended a hand for her to shake, but she hesitated.

His palm looked…strange…

"So…" Deidara let his hand drop when it became obvious that she wasn't going to take it. "Do you have a name, or should I call you 'Itachi's girl', yeah?"

…

"It's all just a big misunderstanding, I assure you."

"Oh pfft." He blew strands of his long blonde hair away from his nose. "Suuure. After what I've just seen? How are you going to explain that, when he's always so courteous to women, yeah?"

…

She leaned towards him with an incredulous frown. "Come again?"

Deidara arched an eyebrow in response, not sure of what she meant.

"…Itachi-san…courteous to women?" Voreka repeated what she thought she heard. "When was this?"

"Oooh. Jealous girlfriend!" He tsked. "I mean, yeah, he's always the best-mannered one among all of us, yeah. I don't mean anything by that!"

Voreka folded her arms. "He doesn't seem to disrespect any of them, does he?"

"Eh? No, of course not! Er, look, I really didn't mean to imply anything!" Sheepishly, he raised the collar of his cloak higher with one hand. "Look, this misunderstanding between us, let's not speak of it again, yeah? I value my life."

"Yes, let's not," she agreed.

…

"Yeah, so, your name?" Deidara asked finally.

"…Call me…'Itachi's girl'," she replied absently, and then looked to him with a sinister smile.

* * *

-

Deidara shrugged helplessly. The kid was strange, yeah. Somehow, when Kisame filled him in on what's been happening, he really didn't expect her to be like this. There was something about her…he couldn't quite place a word to it, but he certainly couldn't match her up with Itachi.

Not that he could picture Itachi with anyone, but still, he'd at least expect someone more…submissive.

The girl didn't look the part. Her eyes were bright, and at the moment a trace of a frown graced her green eyebrows. Her lips were set in a thoughtful slant. She looked sharp, intelligent, and if he guessed right, she didn't know very much about Itachi. Deidara made a mental note to watch his words, for whatever good that'll do given to his carelessness.

And she was also too high spirited.

"Deidara-san," the girl addressed him.

"Deidara," he said.

"Deidara, then." She absentmindedly pulled at a lock of her long, wavy pastel green hair. "Will you be traveling with us?"

"Yeah."

Her eyes flinched, just a bit, but he caught it.

"Hey, I'm not so bad! You don't want to know how the others are like, yeah." He rolled his eyes. Besides Tobi, who was getting tested by the leader, the rest were away on their respective missions.

"The others…?" she asked dryly.

Immediately warnings went off in his head.

_Whoa, shit. How much doesn't she know?_

"Er…nevermind," he said dismissively.

She wasn't as keen to dismiss it as he was.

"So…These uh…uniforms you guys wear…Are you part of some sort of organization?"

Itachi was so gonna kill him.

"Huh…why do you ask, yeah?" Deidara replied, unsuccessfully attempting to hide his awkwardness. He was never that good at hiding reactions.

"Oh, that's alright," her voice sang wryly, causing him to flinch. "I'll just ask Itachi about it."

"Ack! Yes, yes we are! But-…" he shifty eyed, "…that's all I'm going to say, yeah."

"Don't worry. I'm not interested in that." She gave him another one of her ghostly smiles, before heading off in the direction Itachi left off.

* * *

-

The black haired man glanced up briefly as she came into view. Apparently, that was all it took for him to notice the difference, for the next thing he did was to direct his characteristic glare at Deidara, who pretended to not see.

"…if you think it'll get in the way," Kisame was saying when she sat herself down on the log next to Itachi, "then maybe it's best to call it off this time, eh?"

"What will get in the way?" Voreka inquired politely.

Silence. Awkward silence.

"…Oh." She stole a glance at the man beside her. Not that she cared, but he really shouldn't be seeing action anytime soon. He needed a medic. A good one.

"…No. There is nothing wrong," Itachi decided. No one contradicted him, of course. And for some odd reason, she got the impression that everyone was waiting for _her _to say something. In fact, she was on the verge of commenting, but as soon as he turned his piercing dark eyes on her, she'd forgotten.

Tsch. As soon as she gets back, she'll have to get someone to check up on her. She wasn't used to losing track of her thoughts so often like that. Maybe he did something.

"So you're saying they're one day ahead of us, yeah?" Deidara was conversing with Kisame. "That means we have to catch up before they reach Konoha, yeah."

Their voices went on. Voreka tuned herself out and listened to the breathing of the man sitting next to her. He was exhausted, she knew from tapping into his energy earlier, but he didn't show it.

_He's _good_. Really good._

An expert in deceit and manipulation. She still wouldn't have known, if not for the slips Deidara coincidently made. Oh, too bad.

Voreka kept her eyes on the blonde. He really did look like…

"I don't hate you," she said softly, making her voice quiet enough so that it only reached his ears. She didn't look at him. She knew he heard. "I've never been too good at holding grudges. But I guess the real reason is…I know what you're trying to do, now."

He gave no immediate reaction. She lived in those suspenseful moments until Deidara broke in.

"So Itachi-san, mind telling me how you met thi-"

"…Leave us."

Two words, spoken in his usual soft tone. The whole atmosphere shifted.

With her peripheral vision, she saw the other two shinobi exchange a glance before both blurred out of sight.

Of all the times she'd been left alone with Itachi, none of those tensions experienced could compare with this. It was almost as if she'd struck a nerve. But it wasn't. It was something else quite different, and malicious.

The man didn't speak. It was like he was waiting for her to back down.

"You tried to _break _me, Uchiha-san." She allowed herself a wry smile.

And he had come close to doing just that. Very close.

"You thought that…by denouncing everything I believe in…" she absently touched her forehead protector with one hand. "You mocked my belief that women can be as strong as men… You scorned at me hoping to become stronger my own way… You loathed my desire to belong and to be accepted by others… All part of your plan."

He gave no acknowledgement. His bangs curtained his eyes from view.

She stood up, took a few paces away and faced him sideways. She found that it was too hard to think facing him directly and too hard to breathe if she turned her back.

"You might've been trying to turn me into your puppet, but you _failed_. Because, well, I don't need_ your_ approval, either. I will not…turn myself into yo-…I mean, what you want me to be."

She faltered in her last sentence because he stood up. Despite trying to appear calm, she shifted her weight so that she stood in an evasive stance.

"…You think…I was pretending…?" His voice chilled her. The rest of her surroundings blurred out. Voreka swallowed uneasily.

"Maybe," she admitted readily. "For someone who hates women as much as you claim to, you sure displayed a lot of tolerance towards _me_. Don't make me think that you _like _me or something. And secondly…" She glanced at him with a raised brow. "Not only are you a part of some organization. You're doing 'missions' for it. I find it hard to believe the ideas you tried to get me to accept when you, yourself, are taking orders."

She thought over her own words, and added, "Unless-…"

But he was suddenly in front of her before she could get the remainder of her sentence out.

"…I knew you were too smart for your own good," his soft voice hissed next to her ear.

Itachi drew back, making room between them. She heard the humming sound of his Sharingan activating and covered his eyes with one hand.

_Heh heh heh. I'm in such. deep. trouble._

"I don't think you want to be doing that so soon," Voreka commented. "In fact, you're going to get yourself killed if you're planning to fight with an injury such as yours. If-"

Itachi grabbed her wrist, pulling it down so that it drew her closer, until their eyes were inches apart.

"…You are messing with fire, Girl."

She blinked into the lava pools of his eyes. But he switched them off. Though he didn't let go of her arm.

Voreka took her time regaining her voice.

"Itachi-san, let's make a deal."

He frowned at that. Guess he liked being in control of things.

"The thing is," she explained, "You need my assistance. How are you going to force me without breaking my mind?"

A faint smile curled the corner of his lips.

"…You think I have not noticed?"

She felt a stab of fear.

He rested his gaze on her lips. "…Your…fear…"

_…_

_I didn't think he could…read me that easily._

Nonetheless, Voreka pretended to be oblivious. "My fear? I guess, you're scary. But not that scary."

There she was, staking everything. But if you think about it; if she was bargaining for her life in the first place, there really wasn't much else to lose. The only difference would be, well, the method of dying, right?

Itachi leaned closer, despite there not being much space separating them in the first place. In fact, for a whole heart-stopping minute she thought…he might…

"…What is it that you want?" his breath brushed against her lips.

She was amazed at her own willpower for not pulling back.

"I…I need you to escort me to the border of Wind Country after my job with you is done."  
Would her former clansmen chase her that far? She hoped not.

"…I will not promise anything."

Voreka held back a smile.

_The feeling's mutual._

"Neither will I, until I find out what it is that you ask of me." She tugged her arm out of his grip and backed away a few steps. "I am not clueless, Itachi-san. I find it suspicious that you know so much about the Night. We are a very secluded village. Not only that…" Her eyes narrowed slightly. "…You, too, are a jutsu thief, aren't you?"

Voreka paused before continuing. "You only saw me perform that wind technique once and somehow managed to copy it. Even if that isn't the case, you still know more types of techniques than that of one village." She crossed her arms in front of her stomach. "Do you think I will steal from or betray my clan? I won't."

She got that out in one, long breath. She breathed heavily afterwards.

"…Heh."

Itachi started to turn away, and then hesitated.

"…If you desire to know…ask your elders about the founding of the Night, when you get back."

She blinked at his back.

He didn't answer any of her questions, but did he just…?

…

_Looks like I've underestimated you, Uchiha._

_…_

She still knew nothing about him.

At least, she couldn't be sure of anything he told her.

But, she was beginning to suspect that this man runs deeper than most, and had a lot to hide.

Uchiha Itachi…is not what he seems.


	13. My will's my own

A/N: And so begins our Deidara and Voreka's rivalry in getting on Itachi's nerves.

**ShadowedSilverMist:** Which jutsu she tried to use isn't actually important, so I didn't elaborate on it. It's actually the sleep-inducing jutsu we see her using on Ino at the beginning of the story. All we need to know though, is that she chanced at an escape. XD

Author just got back from vacation and has a lot of things to catch up to. Give her time to update, thank you. XD

--------------------------------------

**Chapter 13 – "My will's my own."**

-------------------------------------- 

**-**

"Hmm. Is it just me, or do they seem like an odd couple, yeah?"

Deidara was staring thoughtfully at the general direction where they've left the two alone together. The blonde's assumption called for an eye-rolling session. But Kisame wasn't someone who rolled eyes. So he stared at Deidara like he was mad.

"Yes, it's just you. They are _not_ together."

Deidara turned to look down at him with one artistic brow arched high. Impossibly high.

"Eh? But you said-"

"Just because he even _speaks _to her, attempt to train her, delay the mission -several times, got himself injured, allowed her to talk back, let's her get away with-"

"…" "Yeah, yeah, so Itachi has trouble admitting his feelings. I know, yeah. Your point is?"

The shark man face-palmed. Why oh _why_ did the reinforcement have to be in the form of Deidara? There was just no living with Itachi once Deidara got within a mile parameter of the Sharingan wielder. Not unless you can live and breathe suspense.

"The point is," Kisame tried again, exasperatedly, "Itachi said so himself that he only needed her for this mission!"

"So…he wants a short-term relationship?"

Kisame stared at him incredulously. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"What?"

The shark man growled and decided to leave it. He can never be too sure if Deidara was truly out of it, or was just pretending to be. Either way, there was just no arguing with the slightly dippy Akatsuki member. Without getting himself in trouble.

"Five hundred says she appears within the next five minutes while throwing a fit at something Itachi did to her."

With a toss of his head, Deidara declared confidently, "Hmm? Even_ if_ Itachi-san is a big son of a bitch, I'll take _that_ bet, yeah. He's interested. He's definitely interested."

Again, Kisame only stared the 'I-know-you're-insane' stare.

They did not have long to wait.

"Ugh-! -Impossible-…-Stupid -…!"

Kisame quirked a brow at Deidara as if to say, 'See?'.

Voreka came into view, struggling to disentangle her fingers from her hair. She spotted them an instant after they saw her, and the first thing she did was to direct an exasperated question to both men, but more specifically to Deidara.

"Do you keep a comb with you?"

She raised a brow in confusion when Deidara shot Kisame a triumphant look and stated, "A comb."

Voreka worked out a knot which could've been in her hair for several days already. Long hair was high maintenance. But she'd worn her hair long ever since she could remember, and didn't feel the need to make it any different. "Well, yes," she confirmed simply, "Since _someone_ didn't let me retrieve my bag before we set off, I haven't brushed my hair in days!"

She looked at the expression of utter incredulousness on Deidara's face and took it as he being horrified to hear that. "Yes. Days."

But that wasn't the part the blonde was surprised to hear, of course.

"Ha! Deidara!" Kisame remarked triumphantly.

"Damn," Deidara cursed with a half-pout, half-smirk. He reached a hand within the wide opening of his black cloak and took out a five hundred yen coin. "You win, yeah," he admitted, flicking the coin so that it flipped through the air towards the shark man.

And exploded as it made contact with Kisame with an eruption of dirt and dust, and random shooting bits of grass.

"…" "…Uh…" Voreka pointed a finger at the catastrophe, not quite sure if that was supposed to happen.

"Nevermind that," Deidara assured her. "Let me help you with your hair."

"…No…that is…fine…" She gave a small nervous laugh. "But you know…Itachi-san is resting…and that was quite loud…"

They stared at each other across an awkward, knowing silence.

"That was bad…yeah…"

Several minutes passed, and it became apparent that shuriken weren't going to fly at them from out of nowhere.

Deidara crouched down and gestured for her to come to him. "Well? Do you want my help or not, hmm?"

Voreka placed her hand on her hips and gazed up skeptically, wondering why he couldn't just _give_ her a damn comb or something. "Why are you up in a tree?" she asked suspiciously.

"Better view," Deidara replied lazily. "Better chance at getting away, yeah."

She returned the smirk he gave her. She couldn't help it.

Voreka leapt up to join him on the carpet of entwined tree branches, which sagged slightly under their combined weight. "Nice. Real nice."

"Just don't jump around."

"Deidara…" came a deadly venomous voice from below. They looked below to see a dusty Kisame with one hand bent back to grip the hilt of his sword, a very sinister grin baring his sharp…teeth…

"Kisame-san!" the blonde yelled in mock horror, "You wouldn't!"

One single-handed swing, and the tree toppled. The two inhabitants leapt to safety before it smashed to the ground.

Deidara landed an arm-span in front of her, a little to the side. "He looks mad…yeah."

"Why you! I'll show you a sense of humor!" Kisame roared, heaving his sword high into the air.

Dodging right before the swing came down, Deidara claimed in mock innocence, "…But I didn't _say _anything …"

_So _this _is how they pass their spare time…_

She spent, perhaps, the next ten minutes watching Deidara's awesome escape tactics as Kisame, with great deal of show, took out random vegetation that got in the way. Itachi was gonna be maaad at the amount of noise they were causing.

"Gotcha!" Deidara yelled as he suddenly burst forth from the earth, grabbing hold of one of Kisame's ankles. The next moment the shark man found himself entombed up to his neck in the ground.

"ARGH!"

"Every time…yeah." Deidara snickered as he dusted off his hands, stepping away from the loosened earth encircling the hole in the ground he'd created. Turning to face Kisame, he held up one hand before the shark man could draw a large enough breath to shout and warned, "Quiet, you! Itachi-san's resting.

"Why you-! Wait till I get out of here!"

"Come along, girl. This part takes a while, yeah." The blonde gestured for her to follow him in leaving Kisame behind.

A prolonged "HEEEY!" stalked after them as they went to a quieter spot.

"You do that all the time?" Voreka asked curiously when they were out of earshot.

"Well…" Deidara sat down against the trunk of a tree and patted the ground beside him. "I can only get away with it if it's Itachi and Kisame, yeah."

Voreka arched a brow, wondering how that was. He motioned for her to sit again, and she did. She wondered what it was about him which simply made her very agreeable. He was, after all, one of _them_, wasn't he?

"What did Itachi-san want to talk to you about, hmm?" Deidara asked from her back as he began sorting out her hair from behind.

"I made no reference to our little chat, so don't worry," Voreka said with a smirk he couldn't see.

"Oh, I'm not worried. Not unless it ruined things between you, yeah."

"…" She was quiet in thought as he took his time working out the knots in her hair with his comb. If…

"You know… Come to think of it, I really don't know anything about him."

"Uh…"

"Because, like, I was attracted to his mysteriousness. Then I found out…" she spun to face him suddenly, feigning wide eyes. "Is it true that he killed his entire clan?"

The blonde was taken aback by the unanticipated question. There was a wince on his face as if he were afraid of her hurting him. "Uh…Lady…" He paused. A rather long pause. "That-…Nevermind."

She dropped the act and gave him a half-lidded, unappreciative look. "Can't you give me a straight answer?"

"Well…" He fiddled with the top of his high collar. "That is something none of us has confronted him about…yeah…" His wicked blue eye grinned at her. "Maybe you should ask, hmm?" At the noting of her deadpan expression, he added with a rising and lowering of his visible brow, "He seems to like _you_, yeah."

"…Right…" she humored him.

Voreka looked at Deidara. Deidara looked at Voreka. Then he smiled – no, smirked – a wicked, knowing smirk which didn't make any sense at all to her.

"Uhm…Deidara-chan…?"

"Yeah?"

"Is your…hand…munching on my hair?"

"Um…no. No, of course not!"

She retrieved all her hair anyway, clutching it protectively to one side. "That's…weird…both hands…"

"Hey hey, don't be like that! I'll show you what these can do…yeah…" He stood up, reached inside his cloak and fed one of his extra mouths something. "A work of art."

Deidara showed her what his hand spat back out after chewing for several seconds. It looked like an over bloated imitation of a spider.

"Uhm…"

"I call this. Still life."

"…Uh huh…"

He beckoned her to look closer and grinned evilly when his clay spider suddenly came to life with a shudder, causing her to jump back.

"W-what the heck?"

"Hmm? What?" Deidara asked with wide-eyed innocence.

"Uh…did that thing just-…?"

"Hmm? No."

But before she could puzzle over what she thought she saw, the thing JUMPED at her. A half-eaten scream escaped her throat as she bolted backwards and trip just as Itachi came up from behind with a dirty and angry looking Kisame.

The black haired shinobi side-stepped swiftly to allow her a clean fall. His dark murderous eyes pinned the blonde to the spot.

"…Deidara…"

"I-Itachi-san-! I was only taking defensive action!" Deidara hastily explained as Kisame extended a hand to help her up. "And uhm I didn't mean to scare her! I was only-"

"Just say sorry, you moron!" Kisame growled. But aside from being angry at the blonde, Voreka could tell that he, too, feared the wrath of Sharingan wielder greater.

"Sorry, you moron!" Deidara repeated automatically.

"…"

It was suddenly very, very still.

"…Deidara," Itachi repeated in a near whisper, lowering his head so that his hair shadowed his eyes. Beside her, she felt Kisame was prepared to make a run for his life. "…The amount noise you are causing…is excessive."

The tension was somewhat interrupted when, having held her breath for too long, Voreka was granted a small fit of hiccups. Deidara gave her an irrelevant pounding on her back when, after turning his eyes back to the blonde with one lasting glare, Itachi made to leave.

You don't pound people on their backs for hiccups. It made hers worse.

"Itachi-san!" Deidara sang after him loudly, even though the man only just turned away. She likely wasn't the only one who cringed. "Do you happen to have an extra hair tie, hmm? Your girl here needs one, yeah."

Ack.

"I would give her mine but…" Deidara continued, reaching up to flip his high ponytail with a fake pout, "You might get the wrong idea, yeah."

Voreka sighed inwardly. Why do such things happen to her?

Slowly, Itachi reached back and let his hair loose. He dropped his hair-tie next to his feet. "…I have another," he told them with his back turned. Then he left.

The three of them remained in their own respective trance until she spoke.

"He…lets him get away with that?"

"Well," said Deidara, the first to recover to his usual chirpiness, "Intolerant or not, Itachi-san is a big so-" Here, Kisame smacked him on the back of his head.

"What?" the blonde demanded to know. "Itachi _is_ a big so-"

Smack.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?" Deidara yelled, already forgetting the warning a certain black haired man just gave him, "ITACHI _IS _A BIG SOFTY!"

"…"

"Oh," Kisame said at last. "Five hundred says he heard that."

Indicating to Deidara with a jerk of her chin, she asked pleasantly, "May I hurt him?"

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-

"Uhm…Deidara-chan?"

"Yeah?" The blonde propped himself up on one elbow, while still pretending to be grievously injured by Kisame's beating. The only noticeable difference was that several strands of his hair were sticking out in wrong places, and his eyes slanted downwards at the ends to give him a sulking look.

He had really expressive features. They shifted from one to another with such ease that it was hard to catch the mood he was in before his face changed again.

"A bit of…help please?" She demonstrated her incompetence with tying a hair-tie around her long wavy green hair. It wasn't elastic, but one which you had to knot off. She couldn't seem to do it properly.

"…" "You've never used a hair-tie before, hmm?"

"…" She gave him a half-lidded glare. "Well, if-"

"No no no," he said lazily, beckoning her closer with a wave of his hand, "I'll help you, yeah."

Voreka stared at him a moment longer before turning to allow him at her hair.

"You know, for someone who claims that he isn't interested in girls…you're incredibly…well…" Not exactly flirtatious but…there was a lazy seductiveness to his words and actions. She didn't think he even realized that.

"Hmm?" Deidara's voice inquired from behind her when she didn't go on.

"Do you happen to have any siblings?" She asked abruptly.

"Huh? Why? Want me to adopt you, hmm?"

"…No."

"Why not? I'll make a good Uncle Deidara."

"…No."

"Huh? What do you mean by no? I can show the kids how to appreciate art, yeah!" He gave her hair-tie one final knot and she pulled away with a grimace.

"I mean, thank you, but I think you misunderstand. Itachi-san and me-…" She thought about it. Embarrassing though it was, she believed the blonde's misconception on the relationship between them two can be used to her advantage. So… "He's not really uh…my type," Voreka claimed seriously.

Deidara laid back unworriedly and hiked a brow at her as if she just made a failed attempt at being amusing. "Care to elaborate? Hmm?"

"Age difference," she replied easily.

His brow arched higher.

"Itachi-san's twenty."

Only her elder by one year. She had an irresistible urge to twitch.

But she managed to school her expression into one of polite disinterest.

"I'm thirty."

At which Deidara burst out laughing. And didn't stop.

"H-hey…!" she huffed.

…

"Okay, I lied," he said finally. "Itachi's actually thirty-five."

"You're lying," she accused with a squint.

Deidara made himself look offended.

"Not lying! He just looks way younger than he actually is, yeah! He's only five years older!"

…

"I'm actually nineteen," Voreka admitted suspiciously. At which he burst out laughing again.

She glared. "I hate you."

…

Still… She wouldn't have guessed that the person they all use formalities when addressing is only one year older than her.

"Besides…" Voreka drawled out her words, for he was still laughing. "There's someone else."

Deidara eventually sobered up. He grinned at her evilly. "Really. And what would make this someone more desirable than our Itachi, hmm?"

"How about…_he_ didn't try to make me _hate_ him?" she asked dryly.

Which set him off laughing again.

"I knew-…Itachi-…couldn't -…express himself-…" he managed between breaths.

"NO! You're getting the wrong idea!" she practically had to yell to be heard. "He tried to _break_ my mind, okay?"

She had a feeling he wasn't taking her words seriously, and gave up, simply waiting for him to calm down.

"Hey," Deidara said at last, patting her shoulder. "If he had truly wanted to 'break your mind', all he needed to do, is to use his eyes on you, yeah."

He smirked and leaned closer to her ear. "Do not doubt that."

…

She looked up at his one blue eye, after his words had sunk in. He was serious; at least, he looked deadly serious. "I'm going to…look for him…" she claimed, having no intention of doing just that.

"I said nothing, yeah," Deidara replied, shooing her off with a wave of his hand.

…

She slipped out of sight easily, finding a quiet place in the woods where she could be alone, if only for a little while. It was only early in the afternoon, and the heat becoming its highest, but she hardly felt it then.

_Some things…I don't understand here._

_…_

That is why. Men are. Ugh.

Damn it. It's not like she cares. All she needed to do was…

Yes, that's right. She still had an exam to pass.

Must not let any man destroy her goal. Grrr….

"Damn you!" she swore out loud. "Why am I still here? Damn-" She paced, spun around and came face to face with Itachi and choked. "…I wasn't talking about you, of course."

_Damn sneakiness, too!_

She waited for her heart to calm down a bit before asking, "You were…looking for me?"

He said nothing. In fact, his eyes skimmed over her briefly, and he didn't acknowledge having heard her speak.

_Uh…_

"…I know where you are."

_…Uhm…I'm right here._

"Impressive. As expected of a world-class criminal."

Her breath stuck to her lungs. That voice. She knew that voice.

Eyes wide in disbelief, Voreka looked around her, searching for the source.

"Right here, Mezhari," the voice spoke again, drawing her eyes up into the branches of a tree.

"Sensei?"

The older woman's prismatic green eyes flickered over her before settling on the newcomers on either side, behind Voreka and Itachi.

"What's going on?" Deidara asked, to her right.

"Who's this?" Kisame took in the appearance of the kunoichi and turned to Deidara, asking, "Do you have a sibling?"

"Hmm? No," Deidara answered.

Why he had asked such a question was obvious. Aside from the green of her sensei's eyes, the resemblance between the two was striking.

"I see why our Mezhari is behind scheduled return to our village," Hideka's light, well-mannered voice declared. "You three are…" But she trailed off and didn't complete the sentence.

"She was to message me by falcon every three days to inform me of her progress. When she'd failed to accomplish that, I went straight to where she last left off sending her letters. Her belongings were left at the inn she was staying in." Hideka blinked slowly, her lips in a tight line. "I know you are keeping her against her will. I'm here to take her back."

"Heh," Deidara scoffed, "Who are you to-"

"…This is a Night Jounin," Itachi said slowly, eyes fixed unseeingly somewhere ahead of him. "Do not underestimate her."

Taking her cue, Hideka reached up a hand and pulled her specialty headband over her eyes, the way all Jounin of the Lost Night wore their headbands. "I do not know what you mean by kidnapping one of our Gennin, but that is a serious offense."

Her sensei's hands dropped to her sides, but it wasn't a relaxing gesture. She knew well the seemingly casual posture Hideka would take up before a training session. It was only when Deidara shifted his feet and Kisame readied his sword on either side of them that she realized something.

She'd been too glad to see her sensei at first that it escaped her; it was simply not possible for Hideka to fight all three of them at the same time. These weren't average ninja.

"Hideka-sensei!" she called out. Turning slightly in indication to Itachi, she said confidently with her eyes rising no higher above his arm, "Let me speak with her." Voreka swallowed and added, "Alone."

He didn't have to wait for Kisame or Deidara to object. "…Three minutes."

Voreka pursed her lips. The man was not worried about her trying anything. She, too, recognized an end-game when she saw one.

She looked to Hideka. "Sensei, please."

The Night Jounin nodded once and let her lead away from the watchful eyes of the men. "Why the need?" Hideka asked under her breath, as soon as they were a suitable distance away.

Voreka avoiding looking in their direction and replied, also a whisper, "Because I know he can make me say whatever he wants."

She saw a frown form on her sensei's brows. "What?" Hideka asked.

_"If he had truly wanted to 'break your mind', all he needed to do, is to use his eyes on you, yeah."_

Voreka sighed inwardly and let out in one breath; "If I told you that, during the first stage of my exam, I fell in love with a former shinobi of the village I went to and decided that I wanted to follow him to hell and back – and yes it has been hell – but even though he might appear cold towards me, he's actually my lover and I'm unwilling to part with him even if it means I'll be leaving all of you behind, will you believe what I say?"

Hideka made no reply for a moment. When she spoke, her voice gave none of her thoughts away. "What has happened, Mezhari?"

"Will you believe me?" Voreka repeated.

"No," her sensei answered readily. "I know you better than that."

She finally let out a small sigh of relief.

"This is the reason you wanted to speak to me alone?" Hideka observed.

Voreka dared to spare a glance their way. None of the men had made a move, nor had she heard them utter a word between them. It seemed that at least one if not all were interested in seeing what she would do in a situation such as this.

"You don't know…what he is, Sensei." She drew in a steadying breath and explained lowly, "It's no wonder that, not just you, but more than one other party had been able to trail our movements. He let it be so. I see it now." Voreka let out a small laugh. "He wanted me to obey him and he'd won."

"Obey him?" Hideka inquired, voice still neutral.

Voreka carefully picked her reply. "…I also have a personal debt to settle."

"Then, you mean…"

"Give me a few more days, Hideka. Please, it's important to me." She bit her lip. "I…I'll have to…I _will_ come back."

"Mezhari-chan…" her sensei addressed warningly.

"Aren't you tired of having to always take care of me?" Voreka asked suddenly, ashamed that she was almost afraid of the answer.

Hideka's eyebrows twitched. "…What? Who gave you that idea?"

"No, I mean…It's just-…"

Voreka grabbed her arm suddenly, but that was all she did. "Hideka-sensei. They can _kill_ you. I knew it was over the minute you told them I was to message you every few days. You know I won't let you risk your life for me, Sensei." Again, she sighed. "And he knows that too."

_"…You're _soft_." _His words haunted her.

Hideka lowered her head and said quietly, "I will bring back reinforcements."

"_No!_" she hissed in objection. "Sensei! What kinds of scandal will this make? Nevermind _me_, but _you _can be kicked out!"

Her sensei said nothing.

"Hideka!" Voreka tried again, but the golden-haired Jounin remained unmoved.

Voreka drew in a breath. "I need to see that you have faith in me. Please. Nothing will happen to me."

"Tell me if this is the truth," her sensei demanded.

"I will come back," Voreka confirmed, trusting in her sensei's ability to detect truth in a person's voice. When you've been trained to survive on other senses besides sight, you learn to judge by other means than seeing a person's body language.

Hideka raised her head slightly. She reached her hands around Voreka's neck and set loose her long and slightly wavy hair. Hideka pulled some of her hair to the front and let it settle around her shoulders. "You look better with your hair loose."

The Night Jounin's shoulders relaxed in resignation and Voreka smiled in relief, remembering to take the hair-tie back from her.

For a long moment Hideka didn't do anything. Then she leaned down and pecked her on her right cheek. "…Of course I have faith in you. How can I not, when it is I who kept telling you to have confidence in your own abilities."

She had an urge to throw her arms around her sensei and hug her as if she'll never see her again. But that wouldn't be suitable for her current predicament. So she settled only for a smile that Hideka couldn't see but could feel.

"Thank you."

Hideka gave her a nod, and with a final turn of her head in acknowledgement to the three men watching, she stepped back and disappeared in a spiral of shadows.

_Hideka…_

Voreka turned slightly to look at her captors. Itachi and Kisame looked like how she remembered the first time she saw them, sinister and expressionless. Deidara looked like his jaw was going to dislocate if he let it drop just any lower. She had to let out a small laugh to herself at that.

So they suspected the truth. She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and mutter, 'Well, what did you _think_?'

Instead, she stared mutely down at the thing in her hand and couldn't quite place what it is that she felt at the moment.

In the center of her palm, hidden away from view from the others, was the hair-tie Itachi had lent her, and a little gift her sensei had left behind when the hair-tie exchanged hands. A tiny, see-through capsule in which she knew what the contents were.

Poison.


	14. Leave me alone

A/N: It's been long so. For those of you who've forgotten, **Mezhari Voreka's real name. **

D: Art school makes me busy!

* * *

**Chapter 14 – "Leave me alone"**

* * *

-

She met Hideka the second week of her admittance into the Lost Night. Having devoted the first week to learning the morality of their village by heart with the rest of her peers, she had known better than to expect any sympathy from her assigned sensei.

Right from the start, the well-respected Jounin with golden tresses made it clear to them that they were on their own. If they wanted to survive the Chuunin exam, they will learn well from her. Must learn well. She will not tolerate anyone who will taint her record of raising perfect students.

There and then, Voreka's first impression had been that she and her assigned trainer will not get along. She had heard a bit about Hideka, the genius ninja who was born an Amazon, for the Night only allowed second generation Jounin to have apprentices. A specialist in taijutsu and genjutsu, making her a formidable figure in battle. But her only task was to guide her class of twenty through the basics of taijutsu and ninjutsu.

After the first week, two had already dropped out. Out of the eighteen who remain, only four were keeping up. They all knew that at the end of their training, only four would be nominated as candidates for the Chuunin exam.

Voreka stopped attending class every day.

Hideka noticed, but she hadn't shown any reaction. She was only one out of the fourteen who were struggling to stay afloat, while lagging each other behind. But if she had thought that she could get away with skipping class, she was wrong.

At her usual training place when she was missing class one day, she found her sensei waiting for her beneath the elder tree she rested under whenever she took her frequent breaks.

"Mezhari," Hideka had beckoned when she'd frozen in her steps. "Come. We're due for a talk, you and I."

She knew she was blushing then. Even though she should've gotten used to feeling embarrassment every step of the way since she'd first stepped on the ninja path at the age of seven.

It was just simply different being found out guilty by someone who you consider amazing.

"I know that you are struggling with the pace," Hideka commenced as Voreka sheepishly made her way towards her sensei, "but running away from your problems is not a solution."

"I-…" Voreka stared fixedly down at a blade of grass. What was she planning to say? Try and convince her sensei of thirteen other failing students that she was _especially_ incompetent? Would Hideka-sensei believe her if she claimed that she possessed an abnormal body?

No. If she needed pity, why would she even try for this?

_"Haku-san…you have a pretty big bruise on your cheek…"_

_"Oh, it's nothing. I can't feel a thing."_

_"…And you're all scratched up!"_

_"…haha…They'll be all healed by tomorrow." _

_"…" "…Why does your senpai go so hard on you during training? Doesn't it hurt?"_

_"…" "Hehe. You can stop poking me now."_

_"How do you…endure it?"_

_"…hehe. Mezhari-chan… To be a ninja…means to be able to endure any hardships. For the person who's special to me, I became a ninja. Therefore, I will endure anything to become who he needs me to be."_

_"…You're special to me, Haku."_

He'd given her one of his heart-warming smiles, to show her his sincere appreciation. She never wanted to confront the truth. That he would never return the same feelings she had towards him. He never did.

"Mezhari…" Hideka interrupted the heavy silence, noting the sudden solemn expression which had nothing to do with the present. "Even if you are experiencing difficulty coping with your current situation, to try and hide from it is cowardice. A ninja does not run and hide."

Perhaps the golden haired woman knew she hit right on the mark when she said that.

_I loved him. I never confronted him about how he really felt. I just didn't wish to give up._

_…Was I wrong?_

_I ran away from my messed up family. To here, my shelter, to get stronger._

_…Was I wrong?_

_I skipped classes. I can't keep up. I thought I'd be better off trying to train myself instead._

_…Was that wrong, too?_

_Who the heck came up with all these 'rules'?_

"You're wrong," Voreka said without thinking. She blinked out of her daze. Crap, she did _not_ just say that out loud.

Hideka gave no reaction. She simply waited.

Drawing in a breath of fresh air which was lacking in her lungs, Voreka explained with her mind racing for words, "The basics of a ninja are to run and hide." Her voice faltered. "Un-until you can figure out a way to deal with the situation at hand."

For what seemed like a long time, Hideka only stood with her arms folded across her chest, perhaps waiting for her to back down on her own accord.

"…I see. So what have you been practicing here, on your own, which makes you think you can pass the preliminary exam?"

Her heart beat out of sync with her breathing. "…Genjutsu…" she admitted quietly with the demeanor of someone who knew she'd done wrong.

Awkward stillness ensued. Of course she knew about how genjutsu had been Hideka's weak point until she set her heart on overcoming that weakness. The process had taken years upon years of dedication.

But when she spoke next, her sensei's voice was smooth and cool, and as always, reminded her of afternoon shadows over a pond; welcoming and yet keeping its secrets.

"Genjutsu is a Chuunin level mastery. You are not even a Genin yet."

"I…" She'd lifted her pink eyes determinedly and inhaled deeply. "But I will learn it. I must."

One golden brow rose, causing her heartbeat to speed up again.

Voreka had hastened to explain, "Because my physical endurance is weak, and taijutsu puts an emphasis on speed which I cannot keep up with… I have difficulties controlling the appropriate level of chakra I channel into a ninjutsu…So-…"

"So you focused on the only one left, genjutsu, instead of working harder to overcome your setbacks or…quitting." Hideka finished for her.

She winced at the meaning her sensei implied with that tone. Finding that she'd lost her voice, Voreka could only nod once, trying not to cringe.

One of Hideka's fingers began to tap against her own arm. "Show me."

That one command brooked no arguments. She lost her breath.

She, who had never been formally taught genjutsu, showing what she had grasped on her own to a genjutsu master?

But that hadn't been a request.

"Alright…"

So she'd shown her. First the use of wind manipulation to create sound and sensations which were not there. Then the use of kawarimi to replace herself with wooden illusions of her form. She did not think that she had Hideka fooled, though. A Jounin of the Night village had hearing which was fine-tuned to their surroundings. Even with the sound illusions, her sensei would have been able to tell where her real body was as soon as she moved or even used the body switch technique.

"Impressive."

She was sure that she'd heard wrong. Voreka winced in confusion. "They're…just the easiest ones that I can learn…I know there are problems…"

"Yes," Hideka had agreed. "That is not what I meant."

She was nervous upon hearing that. What did her sensei mean? Did she know about…?

"Even though a barely a Genin, you can already manipulate two elements."

Two elements. Yes. Wind and earth. She didn't know if that was unusual.

"And to be able to combine these elements with genjutsu… You must have slaved over your scrolls."

She did not know whether to feel praised or ashamed at…whatever it was that she felt embarrassed about. So she just bowed her head.

For an awkward period of time, she simply stood that way, with Hideka motionlessly sizing her up.

"I-…" Voreka had coughed and started again, "I can't keep up with the others in taijutsu, and I can't control my own power of ninjutsu. Genjutsu is manipulating the elements around oneself by releasing chakra and chiseling it by mind power. That much, I can do."

Hideka had made no comment. In fact, the golden hair Jounin never brought the subject of genjutsu back up again. But from that day on, Hideka had become a silent guardian angel, shadowing over her.

She knew her sensei wanted what's best for her.

She still believed in that.

* * *

-

"Sooo…is it true?"

Voreka arched a brow at Deidara's blatantly obvious question which drew her out of her reverie.

"True what?" she acted clueless. Damn him for asking out loud when the Sharingan wielder was right ahead of them.

Not really sure _why_ she was nervous about that, but she was.

From the side, Deidara quirked a smirk knowingly. "That chick just now. Your girlfriend?"

Oh. my. goddess. He did _not_ ask that out loud on purpose, did he?

She glared as he winked. What the hell did he think he was doing? Trying to get her to deny his assumptions?

"So. what. if. she. is?" Voreka demanded bitingly.

Both his eyebrows rose in mock surprise. "You mean-…when you said…there's someone else-…"

She looked back up front dismissively. Oh, as if he could get her to falsely proclaim having displayed interest in Itachi-san.

Nuh uh.

What was it about guys that made them think they've got you good when you're ignoring them?

Unfortunately for her, the Sharingan user came to a halt up ahead, looking down at a dented patch of grass – tracks left behind from their quarry. But each of them saw it for what it truly was.

The red eyed man reached a hand and pulled loose his hair. It was as if the weight of his thick black ponytail was bothering him. Or perhaps it was due to his irritation that the hair-tie he was wearing did not stay as well as the other one.

"You should tell him not to move so fast. His…injury is by no means a minor one," Voreka muttered under her breath to Deidara at her side.

"Why don't you, hmm?" the blonde haired man drawled.

Oh sure. He wanted _her_ to remind Itachi-san why exactly the black haired man wasn't able to move without feeling pain shooting up and down his spine? Wait. In fact, why did she care if Itachi was only doing more damage to himself just because he didn't want to stick around even after it was obvious that Hideka wasn't going to follow them?

The guy was a monster to her. Nothing else.

It did not matter that she felt there was something he was hiding.

"Itachi-san," it was Kisame who finally spoke decisively. "Judging by the speed of the targets, it seems like they are slowing down for the night. There is still a reasonable distance before they reach the outskirts of Konoha."

A heavy pause. Each of them knew that the shark man was simply reiterating what Itachi knew, himself. Any time now the Sharingan wielder would turn around and fix Kisame with a bloodthirsty glare.

He didn't move.

"…Itachi-san," Kisame tried again, a bit cautiously. It wasn't wise to irk the red eyed man when he was in an unpredictable mood, and this seemed to be one of them.

"Yeah!" Deidara broke in hastily, "There's plenty of time to corner them in the morning!" He edged closer to Kisame and elbowed the tall man in the ribs. "Well! Me and Kisame are going to set up camp!"

Voreka stared as the shark man was forcefully dragged away with Deidara urging him to "Run, you fool!"

…

They freakin just left her alone to deal with Itachi?

Wow.

Awkward.

She sneaked a peek at the back of the man and sighed exasperatedly.

"Why don't you just say it already?"

Ugh! She couldn't take this suspense-play anymore!

"I know you're thinking something."

Voreka left that thought unfinished. She needed to draw breath. She must've lost her mind. By the goddess, she felt as if she'd already gone mad. What possessed her to speak to him like that?

"…What is the name, Naruto, to you?"

Just his voice alone startled her. That was nothing in comparison to the fear she felt when his words rang bells of alarm inside her head.

Heh. She should've expected him to be able to pick up on that.

"…You did not give in until you found out that it was Naruto we were after."

Heh. What could she say?

But she knew as well as he did that her answer, whatever it may be, will not change anything.

"Is it true?" she asked spontaneously.

He made no motion.

"What I saw…inside your mind. Was it the truth?"

Itachi turned his head ever so slightly. The simple gesture formed the questions which did not fall from his lips.

"I, too, am a genjutsu artist," Voreka explained. "I know the possibilities."

_And as if you'd have let me freely wander inside your head. Heh._

"…Why do you question?" his soft, gliding voice made her catch her breath.

All of a sudden she felt drained of her will to continue. The only thought which kept her going resignedly was that she knew he could already guess her meaning. He only wanted to make her suffer more by admitting it herself.

"Because," Voreka forced her voice to remain expressionless, "I don't know _your _story but… I had someone important to me."

She paused. Surely he would be able to connect that.

"If it were not for him…" _Could I really do what you have done?_

If it were not for Haku's words and comforting presence.

…

_…But who did _you_ have?_

The question was out there, dangling in the space between them, left unspoken.

Yet the Sharingan wielder chose to answer none.

"So can you understand why I must avenge him…At whatever cost."

"…At whatever cost…" Itachi repeated thoughtfully.

Did he believe her?

"…Hmph."

She could hear the smirk in his voice.

"…Even if it means…to become a true shinobi?"

Inwardly, Voreka was shaking. She couldn't help it. Once before she'd challenged him saying _'If you think you can succeed where all others have failed.' _She no longer doubted that.

"Yes."

And then she was quaking so hard that she felt a fine, irrepressible tremor run down her arms.

_Shit._

_I am afraid. Why am I so afraid?_

_…_

_"…You afraid of the unknown, Girl?"_

_…_

"I'm _not_ afraid of you, Uchiha!" she burst out unexpectedly, on contrary to the indescribable fear she was feeling at the moment. "I don't understand _why_ I keep feeling the need to humanize you, but it's not like I _like_ you or anything!"

She pouted self-consciously. "You're not…cruel as you seem…"

The last part she said quietly. She needn't have told him that. No, she needn't have toyed with his patience.

But she had.

He turned, slowly, and while all her common sense was telling her to run, she remained where she was.

"I'm not_ dumb_, Itachi-san."

Who was she kidding? _This_ was dumb.

"I am not _blind_," she rephrased. "In fact, I think you-" Here she broke off and cringed involuntarily. He had raised one hand, unhurriedly, motioning towards her. But all he did was to wave his hand slightly, as if shooing her away.

_…What?_

She stepped back and arched a brow. "Fine, I'll-" She glanced around uneasily. "I'll leave you in peace."

Voreka decided to go after the other two and make the blonde one sorry for abandoning her like that.

She did, however, look back once. He had his back turned to her again, his long black hair waved gently with the evening air. An abrupt image of Haku, with his back turned to her, intruded into her mind.

She shook it away.

* * *

-

"Did you think it was wise to leave those two by themselves?" the shark man grunted, though his own tone of voice displayed no concern. Then again, why would he be worried about the well-being of the girl? It's not like they actually _needed _her to ensure the mission's success.

"Come on, now, Kisame," Deidara drawled with a mock pout, "the lovebirds need some time alone to mend things up, yeah?"

Kisame gave him a look which clearly said 'I-knew-you-were-crazy'.

"She's cute."

Here the shark man rolled his eyes and prepared to tune out.

"Don't you think they match so well?" Deidara went on talking to himself. "Plus, she's pretty, yeah. Or maybe that's not the right word to describe it. It's not beautiful either. More like…lovely…"

Something which raised an instinct to protect. She looked so delicate, really.

"An artist's dream," the blonde man rambled on. "I wonder if she'll have me instead?"  
"Who'll have you instead?"

Kisame had never seen him blush before. Right now, however, a visible shade of pink was brushed on the fair skin of both Deidara's cheeks.

"NO! I mean- Yes! That is- Uhm. That-" He paused for thought. A very long pause. Then he cleared his throat and composed himself. "I was wondering if – uhm – you'd like to be my partner in crime instead of – uhm – the others. Yeah."

Kisame took the chance to throw a patch of grass at Deidara's stupefied form.

"…" The silence dragged out. Voreka's delayed reaction was a simple, "No."

After which the shark man threw another chunk of earth which landed on Deidara's head.

"…But whyyy..?" the blonde man whined pathetically.

Kisame threw up a sizable rock…which landed flat on top of Deidara's head.

He spun around and roared, "WOULD YOU KNOCK IT OFF?"

To which Kisame grinned and got up from his sitting position, reading Samehada with both hands. "Gladly."

_…I'll never understand men…_ Voreka thought to herself as she watched Kisame swing at Deidara's head, triggering the start of a very loud and violent brawl.

"Because I won't be staying for much longer," she said to herself, not expecting anyone to hear above the noise they were causing.

But they did catch what she said. Both halted their sparring and stared.

After an uncomfortable interval of time she realized that they weren't staring at _her _anymore.

"…" Voreka turned casually, finding her face to face with, of course, none other than Itachi.

She said nothing. She couldn't even hold his gaze. He was just a little too close for comfort and she had nothing to say.

Thankfully he wasn't about to just stare at her all day.

"…Kisame, Deidara," the red eyed man addressed calmly. "It is time to discuss our plan."

Right away the other two shinobi sobered up and straightened, ready to receive orders.

"…They would be expecting us to travel in pairs." Itachi's eerie red eyes turned pointedly to Deidara. "…Your job is to separate the Jounin from the rest. We will take over from there."

"…Joy. I get to play bait. Again." Deidara muttered to himself.

"…Kisame," Itachi addressed. "You will be aiding him in that."

Here Deidara blinked and Kisame hiked a brow.

"Eh? Then how are you planning to-?"

Itachi's blood red eyes glanced to her, and she understood. "…There will be no struggling."

"Mind-body switch technique," she guessed.

"Huh?" Both Deidara's eyebrows rose.

"She can possess someone else's mind and body," Kisame explained. "I've seen her work it on Itachi-san, himself."

"…"

"…Itachi-san…" Deidara spoke, his voice uncharacteristically solemn. "Leader will not like this."

Voreka sighed inwardly and declared, "I don't know what it is that I shouldn't know about, but I've only been inside his head for what, five seconds. I didn't see…anything."

Deidara didn't seem to believe her. "But, Itachi, there's no telling how much she knows about us, now. We should bring her back with us."

Her eye twitched.

"Itachi-san!" she protested.

It was useless. She knew without trying and it irked her.

"Come on, Voreka," Deidara teased, "Don't you want to remain with us?"

Voreka took several slow breaths, knowing that they were all waiting for her reaction. She stared back unabashedly, caught each their eye and smiled.

"Very well. I was thinking of staying anyway."

But it hadn't been a friendly smile. She was sure those crimson red eyes could see clearly through what it was. They always did.

Her own pink eyes lingered on his until she tore her gaze away.

Whatever.

And she thought he was okay?

…

Well, nevermind. This only made things easier for her.

Voreka stalked away from them. They would have to be stupid to not let her have her room right now.

Each and every one of them, no matter how she felt towards them, they were still enemies. She better not forget that again.

_"At one time, the Chuunin nominations for the Night were carried out differently than of now." "Instead of selecting two of the best taijutsu and two of the best ninjutsu users, it had been selecting one who is best overall, one in ninjutsu, another in taijutsu, and of course, the last one in genjutsu."_

_"Today, I'd like to bring it back."_

_"Mezhari. You were right about what you said. Sometimes it is necessary to wait it out rather than to take the route laid out in front of you."_

_"From this day forward, you are now a Chuunin of the Lost Night."_

_"You will wear this headband in pride. Live and grow to honor and defend your village and what it stands for."_

_"Let no man stand above you."_

Her steps slowed. Without thinking about it, she reached up and loosened her forehead protector, bringing it down in the center of her hands to look at it. The long, merciless line cut across her reflection on its surface.

_Let no man stand above you._

That one line had a world of meaning behind it. The amazons had great pride in not letting themselves be belittled by men who thought they were better. It was something to live by.

It was something to die by.

She clutched the metal in her palm and felt the surface of the kunai mark he left on it.

_…_

_…See if I'll let you_ control_ me, bastard. _


	15. Spare me my heart and my soul

A/N: I **may or may not** **wait** until Itachi's next appearance in the manga before I continue with the next chapter. Thank you for your continual patience XD

* * *

**Chapter 15 – "Spare me my heart and my soul"**

* * *

-

Morning. For apparently four after midnight constitutes as morning. This was the morning it all came down to.

A heaviness reigned above them, around them, a magnetic field repelling one from the other, between them. This day would mark the end of her cooperative abduction. They saw it in each other's eyes.

It was cold in the morning.

Deidara and Kisame made to set off first, for their part of the plan. Both were displaying varying degrees of reluctance, however. It was plain to see why.

"Hey Itachi…" Kisame said to him before they left, "…be careful."

She had no doubt what the shark man was warning Itachi of, for they didn't tell _her_ to be careful. It wasn't the Leaf shinobi they were worrying over. No.

The moonlight illuminated his eyes in brief flashes. The Sharingan wielder's eyes gave the illusion of glowing. The whole scene, to her, felt like a dream. Something without light or emotion, something meant to mean nothing, but will not be forgotten.

Voreka closed her hand around the tiny capsule resting in the center of her palm, mentally weighing her options.

"…Are you ready?" Itachi's soft, cool voice calmly filtered into her consciousness.

She gazed at his turned back and got up from the ground.

"Yeah…"

* * *

-

"Uhm…sorry, could you repeat that…again…?" Voreka asked for the second time as another explosion went off somewhere in the near distance. Damn it, it wasn't her fault that he spoke so softly.

He looked at her, silent, as if accusing her for deliberately not catching what he said. She was about to arch a brow and defend herself when he reached over and drew her to him by encircling her with one arm. 'Shock' did not quite describe what she felt.

"…Act faint," he told her, tightening his hold around her and bringing her closer than they've been for two days. That alone made it an easy command.

Voreka let her legs give and allowed herself to be fully supported by Itachi.

"Okay…but watch where you're grabbing me…"

He looked down at her strangely. She didn't have to see it to be able to know. Well, he wasn't actually grabbing her anywhere wrong, but.

"Ugh…just…nevermind." She drooped down, letting the tip of her long blonde ponytail brush the ground. She closed her eyes. "Alright…I'm ready."

* * *

-

"Hold still, Naruto!" Sakura commanded, simultaneously gathering chakra in her right fist while bringing it back. She smashed her fist into the oversized, mutant 'bird' which stared back indifferently as it sat with all its full weight on her teammate, Naruto.

The grey, hard shell on Deidara's creation cracked upon the impact, rapidly giving away to reveal another, smaller bird within.

"Arrr, what the hell?" Naruto yelled, desperately trying to wiggle his way out from beneath the bird of doom.

_Strange… _Sakura thought to herself, ignoring the struggling blonde as she gazed warily into the mist Kisame had draped around them. _It's like they deliberately split us up…I have a bad feeling…_

"Ehhh…Sakura?"

"Hush, Naruto!" she ordered sternly, "I think I hear something."

It was the soft, muted sound of someone approaching. An enemy. If it was either Captain Yamato or Sai returning, they wouldn't be walking towards them with slow, confident strides.

"What? Who is it? I can't seeeee dammit!"

Anything further Naruto was going to say was cut off by a dreadfully familiar voice, at which he became completely still.

"…Sakura-chan…Naruto-kun..."

She felt her eyes widen in recognition. "Itachi…"

The missing nin materialized from out of the mist. Sakura drew in a sharp intake of breath.

"Ino?"

"Huh? Ino?" Naruto demanded to know while straining his neck to see.

It was Ino who hung limp in one of Itachi's arms. How did she-…

Sakura watched in horror as, in slow motion, Itachi drew out a kunai with his free arm. She felt the blood freeze in her veins as he drew the blade across the unconscious girl's pale, exposed neck above the collar of her shirt.

_Oh. My. God._

Rage pent up from within. She charged at him, prepared to do battle for all she was worth. But he simply blurred out of sight the moment she was almost upon him, dropping the form of her rival and friend on the grass beneath their feet. While all sorts of alarm bells rang off inside her head, she couldn't help but to scramble down to the unconscious girl, she had to stop the blood from which a metallic scent sauntered and burnt her nostrils.

"In-" Sakura stopped in mid-action as she was flipping Ino to rest on her back. The girl's dark blue eyes were open. Her mind couldn't quite follow what was happening as Ino raised her hands in front of her face and said quietly,

"Ninpou Shintenshin no Jutsu."

All at once she was thrust back as if a physical force hit her. Into pitch black. Darkness.

But there was someone else with her in that darkness.

_Ino? _

No response. It wasn't like her to make no reply. What if-…what if the elder of the two Uchiha brothers did something to Ino?

The scenery changed. She felt herself get up, but it wasn't her who was in control of her body anymore. Her fingers brushed the hilt of a kunai as she drew it out of her own holster. She was moving, slowly, hand grasping the weapon in her hand. Naruto.

**_What the HELL do you think you're doing, Ino?_**

Her body faltered in mid-step. She blinked, eyebrows knitting in confusion.

**_Snap out of it! Now! Or else!_**

Sakura felt it then; a wave of chakra and power which tried to push her away, away from the other person within the darkness of her subconscious mind. The chakra was unfamiliar. It did not feel like Ino. It was not Ino.

_What the…?_

_**Hey listen! I don't care WHO you are, but if you don't get the HELL out of my mind NOW, you'll be sorry!**_

Needless to say, she'd been practicing ever since the first Chuunin preliminary exam where she fought against Ino. She knew she'll have to face her greatest rival someday again.

**_Fine then. You asked for it._**

She summoned all her willpower, all her determination and anger, the very way she would summon chakra into her fist if she were in her material body. And so, wielding this force of will and emotion in her hand, she lunged towards the center of the blackness, through the walls of opposing power which tried to push her back.

**_YAAAAH!_**

**_Release!_** Sakura heard the intruder's voice echo inside her mind before the impact.

It was over. Like a breath of fresh air, she was back in her familiar state of control.

Through slightly dazed eyes, she saw the fake Ino stumble back, clutching her head. Itachi was suddenly beside the imposter, one hand reaching as if to steady her, then thought better of it and let it drop to his side.

"I-…How-…?" She heard the girl mutter.

Straightening up, Sakura smirked wryly and cracked her knuckles.

"If you were the real Ino, you would've known better than to try that on me." She fell back into a fighting stance. "Now, how about a fair fight?"

Behind her, with a ridiculous amount of strain, Naruto managed to heave his handicap off of him.

She saw the two enemies exchange a sidelong glance. "A little distraction, please," the fake Ino told Uchiha Itachi.

Who the hell _is _that, and why hasn't she switched back to her true form yet?

"Sakura…" the pale, bloodless voice whispered behind her. The voice which sounded uncannily similar to Sasuke's whenever he spoke her name that way. She spun around, prepared to meet what she knew she'll see. Itachi, who'd somehow gotten behind her using inexplicable speed.

Crimson eyes stared down at her. Before anything else could be done, however, she felt someone hit a pressure point on her back. The same one Sasuke had used on her that night before he abandoned Konoha.

She blacked out.

* * *

-

Sakura came to her senses because a strange, cool sensation compelled her to open her eyes. Pale pink eyes met her gaze as she felt a hand lift away from her forehead.

Immediately adrenaline rushed through her veins. She realized that her hands were tied behind her back, and she was propped up in a sitting position against the trunk of a tree.

"Oh good…you're alive…" the woman said, relief evident in her voice. "I've never used that technique on a real person before."

Sakura frowned up at her, while testing the strength of the bonds tying her wrists. It was a chakra rope…and whoever made it…their chakra was strong….something she couldn't snap by using brute strength. Clenching her teeth, she narrowed her jade eyes spitefully at her captor.

"Relax," the woman said in a voice which was tinkling sweet and haunting at the same time. Sakura took a moment to observe the crystalline pink of her eyes, the length of her livid green hair, and the unnatural red of her lips contrasting against the fairness of her skin. She looked…unsettling. Pretty, but in an uncanny way. Like a life-sized porcelain doll.

"If I intended to use that jutsu on you again, I would've done it while you were still unconscious."

Sakura forced herself to remain calm. Where were all the others? What was happening to them at this moment? She didn't realize how tense her body was until the pink-eyed woman caught her off guard with her question.

"Your blonde teammate back there… That was Naruto?"

She blinked. So the woman doesn't even know?

Sakura noted her clothing, and the fact that she wasn't wearing an Akatsuki cloak, even though the line etched across her forehead protector claimed her to be a missing nin. Was she an outside help, perhaps? Either way, why should she answer her?

After a brief pause, the pink-eyed woman added, "…The same Naruto who once defeated a one-time hunter nin of the Mist, named Haku?"

Her initial reaction at the mentioning of the name was involuntary. Sakura's eyes widened and looked at the woman sharply. It was enough to give away what she knew.

The tension stretched out between them.

"…How did he die?"

Sakura blinked. Had she imagined hearing a thread of sorrow woven in those words? Her mind raced.

"You…think it was…Naruto…?"

The green-haired female pursed her lips and stared back at her blankly. "Will you tell me otherwise?" she questioned.

Sakura hesitated. Technically, it _was_ Naruto who defeated Haku wasn't it?

"Then, who?" her captor questioned.

Sakura made no reply. Was she supposed to say that it was Kakashi who delivered the killing blow? As if she'll believe her, plus what difference would it make?

"Haku was important to me."

Sakura blinked again in surprise. The pink-eyed kunoichi went on.

"That is why…I must know. I must know the truth regarding his death. No one else will remember him. No one else left can do this for him. …Ow." The woman raised a hand to her neck. "Damn that man. Actually _cut_ me," she muttered.

Sakura was silent for a moment. She wasn't sure what to make of that.

"…He-…Did you love him?" the pink haired medic nin found herself asking. If she did then…how was she supposed to tell her what really happened?

"…" The woman didn't reply. She didn't need to. She turned sideways and looked off into the distance.

Sakura examined her options. She didn't think she had a chance of breaking her bonds by using brute force. But it didn't appear that this missing nin was particularly tied to the Akatsuki. It was a strange feeling, comparing her own green eyes and pink hair to the woman's pink eyes and green hair. Maybe it would be a good idea to find out more.

"Excuse me, but…why are you helping them? You don't…I don't know-…You don't seem like one of them."

The pink-eyed woman gave her a wry smile. "I don't know…revenge?" she offered.

Sakura tensed. "But it wasn't Naruto!" she blurted out, causing the pink eyes to turn to her. Fear and dread flowed through her veins. Sakura swallowed. "…He sacrificed himself to protect Zabuza."

What appeared to be awkward silence ensued. Sakura averted her eyes, prepared for any accusations of lying.

"It's fine…" the woman replied with a small smile, "…I've always known there was someone else."

Sakura didn't know what to say.

"…Do you want to save your teammate, Sakura? – it's Sakura, isn't it?"

Sakura stared in bewilderment at the woman, and then nodded once.

"Then…I'll need your cooperation." The woman touched the cut on her neck. "But first…I have to get rid of this."

Sakura hesitated, but found no reason to doubt what she said. So she set her jaw determinedly and told her, "Untie me…I'll heal that for you."

* * *

-

Stalling. The Sharingan master was stalling. But for what? He didn't look like he was expecting any aid, nor did he look like he was anxious for reinforcements. The simple act of waiting threw Naruto off. The blonde was confused as well as worried about what was truly going on.

And where the hell were the others?

He huffed, still recovering from the aftermath of Itachi's genjutsu. Not looking into his eyes was hard enough, but avoiding looking at his hands is simply impossible to do. But the black haired akatsuki hadn't even moved from his spot when, after using a tremendous amount of willpower, Naruto had broken himself from the hold of his illusions. There was definitely something amiss.

"Forgive me, I kept you waiting, Itachi-san."

Sakura's voice. Naruto's pure blue eyes widened in alarm as the pink haired kunoichi nodded to Itachi and turned to face him across the field. "So then…Naruto…the boy who defeated my Haku-kun. I will avenge him by doing this."

On that note, Sakura reached down into the holsters strapped to her legs, taking out long, sharp senbon needles which Naruto had never seen her use before.

Naruto stepped back insecurely. "You-…! S-Sakura-…!"

A smirk appeared on the pink haired girl's features. "What will you do now? How will you fight me when I am in control of your friend's body? How will you win?"

Sakura raised the needles in her hand.

"…Voreka…" Itachi said slowly.

Naruto couldn't follow up on the next movement. It was either Sakura who tried to attack the red-eyed shinobi or it was Itachi who grabbed her arm before she unleashed those senbon needles at Naruto. They came to a standstill.

"…Where is she?" the black haired akatsuki questioned, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

Sakura smirked. "Behind you."

A clone of the green haired female materialized behind Itachi. Sakura took advantage of his distraction to gather chakra to her fingertips, jabbing two fingers to a pressure point right below the wrist of his hand which was still holding onto her arm. He flinched and released her, but the effect was instantaneous. Itachi clutched his injured arm, trying to still the spasms which shook his entire body.

_'So then…it was true, what she said about his spine injury…' _Sakura thought. Naturally, an assault on one pressure point wouldn't affect someone that much unless their nerves were already under strain.

…

"Well done," the pink-eyed woman told her, suddenly appearing next to her. Itachi registered her presence, but he didn't look at her. Not even when she said his name quietly, almost apologetically.

"Itachi-san…"

Sakura watched, wide-eyed, at the motion too fast for her eyes to follow. All she heard were two sickening sounds of something sharp ripping into flesh.

Itachi fell over.

"W-what…?" Sakura whispered in disbelief.

"H-hey!" Naruto burst out suddenly – having been caught up in some sort of trance for the duration of all this – pointing an accusing finger. "You can't fool us with that! He's not dead!"

"No…he's not…" the green haired woman confirmed. Sakura noticed the trembling on the woman's arms as she kneeled down beside the unconscious form of Itachi and checked the locations on his neck where her needles had pierced. Then she gathered him carefully in her arms, or at least, his upper body.

"Sorry, Sakura., Naruto," the woman said quietly, "I owe him one."

The mysterious pink-eyed woman held one hand in front of her in the form of a seal. A sudden gust of wind blew dust and grass into their faces, which they shielded with their arms. When it died down, the woman, along with Itachi, was gone.

* * *

-

Voreka was still shaking by the time she laid him down, a good many distance away from the disturbance in the forest. Why? Because she fully expected the still form to reach up suddenly and snap her neck or something.

Crap, she was so afraid. She had expected him to dodge her needles; for goodness' sake he could've if he tried to prevent them from touching him, and she doubted his back injury alone could've slowed him down that much. She had expected a tough fight, or at least die trying – as her clan's honor dictates. What the heck was this? Was he only pretending to be comatose or what?

_Shit. Stop shaking. Breathe._

She had to force herself to kneel down next to Itachi to check his pulse. She found it, slow and steady on his wrist. Even though she'd learned the vital points as with every other hunter nin of the Loricha clan, and Haku had told her that her marksmanship was good enough to put targets into momentary death, it had been too much of a risk to take. So she'd slipped him into a coma instead, taking the chance of not knowing _when _he'll wake from it. It could be the next instant.

Voreka winced as she jerked out the two senbon needles protruding from his neck. He did not wake. She wouldn't have known what to do if he did awaken.

Blood trickled down from the two diminutive holes through his smooth skin, but they were minor wounds so she decided to leave it.

"Well, Itachi. Even now, you're still toying with me." Voreka sat up so she wasn't leaning over him and scoffed at herself. "Did you think I wouldn't kill you?"

No response, of course. She would perhaps never find out.

His eyes remained peacefully closed, his ebony eyelashes long enough to touch his cheekbones. It was a strange feeling. She had never seen him with his defenses down. Voreka steeled herself and pushed any thoughts straying anything close to regret – for various reasons – out of her mind. Such thoughts were dangerous.

She could've erased the needle marks on his neck, reach her hands to his temples and erase his memory of how he ended up passing out, but it wasn't an honorable thing to do. He would guess the truth anyway. They all would.

"When we meet again-…should we meet again…I guess one of us is going to die." Voreka smiled wryly at that thought. "But don't worry…I won't be the weakling you used to know. I wonder if you'll fight me for real, then?" She paused as if expecting a response. "Well, I don't suppose I'll ever meet you again. And even though you can't hear this…" she closed her eyes briefly and sighed.

"Thank you. For letting me go."

…

_And for making me stronger._

She reminded herself that she better get going.

"…Itachi…"

A strange impulse gripped her. Voreka leaned down and pressed a kiss onto his lips, finding it strange because she would neither have the courage or the intention of doing so if he were awake. There were some things which can't be explained.

"Goodbye."

And so, she left, not looking back even once.

She did not expect to ever see him again.


	16. Bleed like me

A/N: LoL I had to rewrite this chapter completely THREE times until I settled for this version. My goodness…please be aware that I know this chapter is still awkward (it's unbelievably hard to pick back up after a time-skip) but hey, gotta start somewhere right? Well here it is, the beginning of the second arch.

Once again, Mezhari Voreka's real name.

* * *

**Chapter 16 – "Bleed like me"**

* * *

-

_"Captain, are you alright!?"_

She held her hand over her mouth to discourage the dust from being breathed in, adjusting her earphone so she could speak into it. But before she could reply to her teammates over the line, an uncannily familiar voice sounded through the drumming of falling stone.

"Looks like we're not the only ones after these scrolls, eh, Itachi-san?"

_"…Captain?"_

Recovering from her stupor, she crept back, treading lightly to avoid loose rubble and flattened herself against the wall. Reaching up to her ear once she was there, she switched off the transmitter, just in case.

This had _got _to be a nightmare.

"I think there's one left in here…" There was a metallic _chink_ she recognized as the handling of Kisame's Samehada. She glanced around through the still-settling cloud of dust, noting that a section of the scroll library had completely caved in, unfortunately blocking off the doorway closest by her. "Shall I…?" the shark man's voice inquired, presumably to his partner.

She gripped her left elbow, feeling for any serious damage. If the part of the ceiling which toppled down on top of her left arm didn't do it, then the fall did. Now a trembling ran down the length of that arm in pain, or it could also be fear, she'd imagine. The pain and the fear outweighed each other.

"…"

Yes, the heavy silence which could take on form. It was undeniably his. The one person she did _not_ want to encounter again.

She slid further away from the pedestal which would be standing in the center of the circular space, the place where the offenders would also be behind all the white and grey dust given off by the destruction. One of those blasts had overturned shelves, the heavy shelves of stone which now cut off yet another entrance to her right. She felt trapped.

Voreka swallowed a cough as particles of dust tickled down her throat, and tears arose in her eyes at the effort.

_Uh oh._

She reached for her earphone, hoping that she was at least far enough to be able to overhear when she switched it back on and hissed, "_I have…a problem_."

"…It is you, isn't it…?"

She froze at the sound of his voice.

"…Voreka."

Kisame – unless there was another person with them – made a surprised noise.

_"Roof is inaccessible from here, I'll have to-" _Then a different voice, clearly on another end of the line, cut in and declared, _"Guards are approaching. Captain?" _

They were waiting for her instructions.

She hesitated, knowing full well that no difference could be made if she had the interference of her teammates. Suddenly feeling quite calm considering her anxiety just a moment prior, and spoke evenly into the transmitter, "…Deal with the guards first."

Almost immediately after she switched off the earphone again, the muted sounds of shouting could be discerned from somewhere above. But she had no time to think about that…

…_Itachi._

Two dark silhouettes took shape out of the rapidly clearing air. When they were assigned to steal the silently collapsing country's forbidden scrolls for safekeeping, each of them knew that they weren't going to be the only ones who had their eyes on those highly valued scrolls. And yet some foolish part of her brain had not expected _him_ to be here, of all people. No, nothing could've prepared her for this.

"…Itachi-san…" she said resignedly, suspecting that she wouldn't be able to hide her presence from the likes of them anyway. "…" She clenched her jaw. There was nothing for her to say, except… "I suppose you're here for the scrolls as well." She unbuckled the scroll pouch from her shoulder, dangling it between two fingers with a wry smile. "You'll have to take it from me."

"Heh," she heard Kisame laugh as he readied his sword with one hand. "She doesn't seem to be very afraid of us anymore, does she?" he observed, a bloodthirsty smirk apparent on his face. "Let's see how much better she'd gotten."

"Kisame." His name was all that was said, but nonetheless the shark man groaned in disappointment. She tensed, staring fixedly at a spot above the Sharingan wielder's shoulder where she could still be able to discern his facial expressions without having to look at his eyes.

Time stood still. Remarkably still. It took longer than it should have for her to realize the reason.

_Damn it! When did I get trapped inside a genjutsu!? _

Nevermind that. She had to focus on freeing herself, and fast.

_…I can't believe he's trying genjutsu on me again…_

…

Voreka took in a breath and shut her eyes, clapping her hands together in front of her to help her focus.

_Okay, nothing's special about this one. You've had tons of practice before. _

She heard the crunching of debris as he headed towards her. To her surprise, her arms began trembling. She was…afraid.

And that proved to be a fatal distraction.

Damn it.

"Come any closer, and I'll destroy these. Don't think I won't," she threatened with her voice a deliberate hiss to filter out the signs of fear in her voice.

He stopped, his trademark red eyes trailed from the scrolls in her hand back to her. A small, sinister smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth. Not a good sign.

Pain, she was feeling the pain from her real body. A jolt of pain caught her attention, the pain from her injured arm, but it clearly wasn't enough to snap her back into reality. With her free hand she brandished a kunai and aimed it at her shoulder. Bracing herself, she thrust the kunai down.

The illusion dissipated, but the tip of her blade never pierced her skin. Itachi held her kunai wrist in an iron grip from behind her, and that left her in an awkward position. She would have to turn to face him if she wanted to try anything.

Unable to think out a solution through the web of panic she felt caught in, she tensed and wondered if he would be able to hear her heartbeat.

Tsch.

"Don't you have anything to say to me?" she drawled, when seconds dragged into minutes and still neither spoke a word. She knew that he had to be as speechless as she felt herself, but she was _the heck_ not going to be the one to bring it up.

"…"

They were waiting for each other's first move, she could tell. The distrust was mutual. From his spot by the pedestal, Kisame was watching motionlessly, probably not wanting to interfere.

"Well, I guess words are cheap, after all…" Voreka said carefully.

He reacted to her hand movements faster than she hoped…as to be expected of him. He swung her around by her captured arm just as she was able to reach his skin, slamming her back against the wall. She saw flashes of grey and white spur across her vision. One hand encircled her neck as he lifted her off the floor, pinning her there.

Knowing that cursing at him was a waste of air – which was scarce by tight grip he had her in – she returned his glare and wondered if it would be a good idea to kick him. Just because anyone else would have in her situation, right?

"We can't stay like this forever," she reminded him dryly, forsaking her fear in hope that he'll do _something_, rather than just boring a hole through her lens with his glare.

An explosion overhead indicated that her teammates have more or less taken care of their immediate problem and was coming to help her.

"Captain!" someone yelled through the crumbling ceiling. Kisame looked up restlessly at the new opening in the roof.

Itachi frowned, his grip tightened on her throat. She felt lightheaded from the lack of oxygen. Bringing himself closer, the he whispered maliciously into her ear, "…Main gate. We will be waiting. Tell anyone, and I'll kill them…Try anything, I'll kill them…Take too long, I'll kill them. …Do you understand?"

"…Fine."

He released her. With a slight nod towards Kisame, both the black cloaked shinobi vanished.

…

One of her teammates dropped down into the room. She paused to gaze at the dead or unconscious bodies sprawled around the pedestal from which the scrolls had been held. "What happened, Captain? Did they discover you?" she asked, arching a brow.

"…No," Voreka replied, debating on how much to say, and fast. "We're not the only ones after these. Here, take it," she ordered, tossing the scroll pouch harder than was necessary to her teammate. "You girls should head back," she declared as the other three members of her squad dropped down from the roof. With a sweep of her gaze, she noted that none of them were unscathed. "Remember our mission," she said sharply, forestalling any comments. "I will deal with them first."

"Who are they?" one of them, a blue-haired kunoichi barely past her own age spoke up. Her eyes, sharp clear blue which shone like marbles, fixed on her unblinkingly. Not a stray strand of hair could be seen on her straight, shoulder-length blue curtain of hair. Renna didn't just give an illusion of being intelligent. She _was_ intelligent, something she'd proven time and time again in their missions.

"I didn't get a good look, they were concealing themselves in the shadows," Voreka replied evenly. "But I should be able to track them. Now-"

"I'm coming with you, Captain."

Her pink eyes flashed in surprise at the blue-haired female. She had never openly defied her like that. "Do not question my motives, Renna," she said coldly. "I know you've been assigned into my squad by Hideka-san, even though I told her that I didn't need her to be looking after me any longer."

If she was in her right state of mind, she wouldn't have put it so harshly. But no, she was quite beside herself at that moment. She would have to face _him_ again soon.

"Yes, but Captain…" Renna beseeched quietly, bending in a half-bow, an apologetic gesture.

"I am the captain of this squad, and you will answer to me for this mission's duration. Do not doubt that I can take care of myself."

When she spoke in that tone of voice, all of them knew better than to question. That respect came out of as much trust as of fear. For all knew that she was very much in the favor of the elders, and having the qualifications to be appointed squad captain had to count for something.

She was not…the same person who would pale at the thought of engaging anyone in battle. But then why did she feel so…cold…

That was the cause for the trembling she felt in her body, she supposed. She didn't think it was visible. But Renna would have noticed. The things which could dodge her keen eyes were few and far between.

"Then when, or where, will we be meeting you, Captain?" the blue-haired woman inquired respectfully, though it was easy to discern another meaning by her tone. And her eyes. Her eyes said it all, as the way intelligent eyes could easily betray their thoughts. Did the girl_ suspect _her? Did Hideka _suspect_ her and warned of what would be her betrayal, beforehand?

"I'll catch up," Voreka replied in an equally cool voice. "Don't wait up for me. Understood?"

Her squad gave a collective affirmative, "hai." But she had her veiled gaze on Renna. The girl returned her stare impassively.

* * *

-

"Itachi-san…" Kisame tried again. He couldn't tell if the black haired man was ignoring him as usual, or if he truly didn't hear him. It never seemed too hard for Itachi to tune out completely of something he didn't feel the need to acknowledge. As he watched, Itachi flinched involuntarily, his hand reaching to the spot on his arm where the shark man remembered Voreka had touched the Uchiha

"…She has gotten better…"

Kisame was struck speechless at the realization. The realization that the green haired female had been able to hurt his partner by the way of a simple touch.

But that would mean she couldn't have been helpless as she seemed while in the Sharingan user's death grip, could it? Her arms were free, after all. She could have done a lot more harm – not that it would help her case any, but still.

Then again, he'd expected Itachi to kill her the first chance he got.

He let out a snort, an action which did not go unnoticed by the red-eyed man, however ignored.

"…She will not come with us as quietly as the first time," Itachi said in soft warning.

Kisame knew the objective. Their leader had been displeased to find that the Uchiha had been bested by a single opponent, and apparently a girl with no fame or recognition at that. Needless to say that did not help the tension which already existed between the two.

"Because of the failure last time…We better show up with either the scrolls for this mission or the girl, Itachi-san..." Kisame then growled. "But I doubt she will trade in her own mission even if it means her life, eh?"

"…"

"What are you going to do, Itachi-san?" he wanted to know.

The blood red eyes lifted from the ground. Itachi stared ahead of him with slightly narrowed eyes. "…Leave it to me," the man answered in his quietly commanding voice.

* * *

-

Voreka was in quite a dilemma at the moment. Not only was she _afraid_ to face the two S-Ranked criminals, she _couldn't_ face them. It was because of Renna, the Chuunin in her squad who had all the qualifications to become Jounin, but instead chose to remain under Hideka's command. It was something the blue-haired girl was able to hide well, and it was only through the scrutiny of being Captain of the squad was she able to see through the façade. Credit where it's due: Renna was good at hiding.

She knew the girl would follow her regardless.

Damn it. Trying to bide time wasn't going to solve her problem this time, but she would rather they come to her in any case. She wasn't about to show up with someone tracking her looking as if she'd invited someone along.

Well, she really didn't have the time to deal with her stalker first. The Sharingan wielder hadn't seemed in the best of patience today, plus she needed to conserve however much energy she had.

Reaching down, she grabbed a handful of warm sand, letting it slip away between her fingers. She then held up the hand and tested the wind. It was not a still day in the Wind Country. Hints of wind from all different directions could be detected mixed with the dry heat. Good…she was in her element…she had the advantage over the terrain. If her opponents thought that she hadn't been training hard for the past few months…then they would terribly underestimated her.

"Well…" Voreka said to herself as she dusted her hands off, "…I'm ready…"

She turned to look at the direction she felt their presence coming from. Two black-cloaked figures advanced towards her at a calm pace, the gates of the city disappearing into the distance behind them as she began moving further away from it, now that they were all gathered.

Her steps were slow; she was waiting for them to close in the distance between them. She checked herself before turning to face them, with all the composure befitting that of a squad leader.

"Itachi-san…Kisame-san…" she addressed each with a small bow of her head.

"…Voreka-san," Itachi responded in like, while Kisame said nothing. She kept from showing any surprise on her face. He had never addressed her by a name before that day, and now with the honorific at the end. Right away their little meeting took on a diplomatic feel. Oh, she was not going to like this.

Unable to help herself, the kunoichi tilted her head forward and said, "That is not my name..." "But Nevermind that," she added. "Why did you call me out here?"

They didn't have to be in the middle of nowhere to settle what they've begun. She wasn't about to believe that he actually cared enough to not draw any attention.

Voreka shrugged and continued, "If you wanted the scrolls, then-"

"That's not what we want, actually," Kisame interrupted with a mirthless grin.

"…" Her eyes fixed on a spot above the other man's shoulder, where she could see his expression but not his eyes. She'd gotten better yes, but she wasn't brave enough to meet death in the eyes.

She'd betrayed him. He had_ let_ her needles put him into a coma, but that doesn't change the fact that she had turned against him in the end. And this was the encounter she had been dreading ever since.

"Well…what are you waiting for?" Voreka asked guardedly, loosening up her hands on either side, ready for action. They'd been too tense.

"…Come with us, Voreka-san," Itachi murmured the request politely. She recovered quickly from her confusion. Of course, it was to be expected that if they weren't going to kill her straight off, then they'd want to retake her prisoner for 'knowing too much'. Tsch. What game was he playing at…?

She smiled bemusedly. "Not without a fight."

"…As a candidate for Akatsuki," Itachi added.

It clicked. She met his eyes in wide-eyed realization.

"Not without a fight," she repeated in a whisper. "You shouldn't mess with other people's lives, Itachi-san." Blinking, she broke the gaze they shared and drew her thumb across the razor sharp edge of the kunai she took out in her other hand.

**_Wind Element: Windstorm!_**

As soon as she completed the formation of seals, the blast of wind formed a chaotic weave of noise and blowing sand. She lowered her headband over her eyes and stared, listening, into the darkness. It was a simple jutsu, but with the sand, it would mean that Kisame, for one, wouldn't be able to keep up by using the sense of sight alone. So she could concentrate on the Uchiha, whose eyes she knew could see the world in chakra, much like her own eyes.

She picked up on their auras, located the one that was distinctively his; in her mind's eye she saw his chakra take form and willed herself to lock onto it. He had discarded his cloak, for she couldn't hear it billowing around him.

He deflected the kunai she threw with his own, and accepted it as an invitation. Immediately she saw his aura diminishing so that she had to concentrate to keep it in focus. So he knew the ghost stance…that explained his stealth. But it was just as well, because using that fighting technique required the least amount of chakra exertion as possible. That ruled out the majority of ninjutsu she had to worry about.

Voreka spun around and blocked a kick from behind with crossed arms. The pain erupted from her already injured arm as she leapt back and tried to regain her balance. Damn…clones. She wouldn't be able to recognize the real one, but _he _would be able to tell which one would be her real body. That is, if he allowed her enough time to conjure up clones.

She'd always known he moved with the speed above that of an average ninja, but that didn't mean she would be prepared to meet it.

_This one's a clone…_ She realized as her kunai went through its neck, dispersing chakra into the wind. _Then that means…_

Voreka stepped back and ducked a roundhouse kick which would've hit her shoulder. He was strong, and combined with his speed, his attacks were deadly powerful. She realized that during the time when they had sparred, he had never used both these attributes at the same time, when she could have either blocked or evaded. He wasn't going easy on her, now. And he was tireless, in direct contrast to her low stamina.

**_Wind Technique: Wind-forgery._**

A swarm of shuriken formed by air took shape around her. Charging them with another supply of chakra, she set them loose, slicing outwards and taking out the rest of the clones. She listened and felt...but where was the real one?

Even as she pondered this, she realized what it must be.

_He went underground. I can't sense him from there…_

She spun around. The cold tip of a blade pressed against her throat. She could've laughed at her own carelessness, but she didn't get the chance.

They both stepped out of the way as a sharp object whizzed into the sand between them. There was a small explosion, of smoke. Voreka shook her head mentally while taking the opportunity to catch her breath.

"Mezhari-san."

"I wasn't done yet, Renna," the squad captain said exasperatedly to the other female who'd just situated herself beside her. Well, whatever. Who cares if he thought her dishonest?

"I know who these men are, Captain," Renna's voice replied. "You can't face them alone. Let's do what we've always done as a team."

The chill was back, despite the heat. _'…Try anything, I'll kill them.' _His voice echoed back inside her mind. She turned in the direction he was standing in, Kisame having come beside him. They were waiting.

He would kill Renna, she knew that. Simply to let her know the mercilessness he was capable of. But to give up now meant that she'd acknowledge that he had won…again.

"Captain…"

She was silent, deep in thought. Her distress only served to add onto her fury. Shinobi had no emotion during battle, and truthfully she'd never had much problem with that. But she was mad. Mad not because he was that much stronger, but because he made her feel how weak and powerless she was up against him.

"Yeah…let's do it."

She didn't have to see to be able to tell that the other kunoichi gave a smile as she fell into position. Quickly her hands ran through the sequence of seals needed, summoning chakra for her jutsu. _Now. _

The two of them leapt up as the sand beneath them shifted and sank, becoming a crater of quicksand. As quickly as it softened, it solidified, trapping the legs of their quarry, and even before they landed back down Renna executed her part. The wind let out a high-pitched, haunting howl as it tunneled through the flute-like tubes attached to the ends of Renna's whip. "_Night Technique: Hall of Nightmares_."

One of the setbacks of using sound illusions was that she was inevitably caught up in it as well. And Renna's was in no way an ordinary illusion. But she'd had practice breaking free of her own teammate's genjutsu.

Before her rose towering columns in a grand hall of darkness.

"Voreka…"

She turned, faced him directly.

"…You should not mess with fire," Itachi told her, eyes shielded by the dark. She had the feeling something was amiss, when a corner of his mouth turned upwards in a slight smirk. She had enough time to see that before darkness snatched him away as the jutsu took its complete hold. She dodged the claws of black which made their attempts at her as well, and began the seals which would allow her to escape the illusion.

"Stop!"

Her command came out half-strangled. She was breathing heavily as she ripped off her blindfold from her eyes. A confused frown appeared on Renna's brows, and with the headband still over the blue-haired girl's eyes, she wasn't able to follow her gaze.

Voreka stared at the figure next to her, of Itachi slouched over in the thralls of the genjutsu. Kisame had broken free of the sand with his massive strength, but he too was caught in the jutsu and was scowling, muttering curses under his breath as he tried to concentrate on breaking loose.

_I see why the illusion didn't work on him…this is a clone…how does he-_

"What is it, Captain?" Renna inquired.

Voreka met the red eyes of the _real _Itachi, who casually balanced a kunai by the tip on one knuckle. It had to be forged out of some light metal to be able to not break his skin. Did Renna really not sense him behind her? Then again, that wouldn't be surprising.

She reached down and pulled out a kunai from her belt. He was watching her every move, of course.

"Mezhari-san!?" Renna questioned in surprise, managing to get out of harm's way at the last moment. That broke the genjutsu. The blue-haired kunoichi pulled off her blindfold to shoot her a look of alarm.

Voreka said nothing, drawing out her senbon needles from her needle holster. A look passed between the two Night ninja. She saw that Renna understood.

Yet her teammate asked anyway. "What are you doing, Captain?"

"What I must."

Renna evaded her needles by deflecting half of them with her whip-like weapon. Only when she almost backed into Itachi did she realize that there was someone behind her. The blue-haired girl half-turned and gave him a look of bewilderment. "Wh-"

Before she could get the words out, and before Itachi made a move, Voreka sent two more needles flying into the pressure points located on the back of Renna's shoulder.

Renna stumbled, and for a moment she was afraid the girl knew how to counter its effects. But then, before their eyes, the blue-haired kunoichi collapsed into a dead faint.

Voreka clenched her fists, peering up guardedly at the man before her through her eyelashes. "Our fight wasn't over yet," she drawled, fearing that her voice sounded too forced.

"…Hmph." But the faintest trace of a sly smile appeared on his lips as he slipped his cloak back on. "Very well…but not here," he told her calmly. "Come with us."

Itachi tossed a glance at Kisame, nodding once before heading off. She waited until Kisame followed suit before crouching down next to the unconscious Renna. Pulling out the needles in her back to spare the girl the effort when she woke, Voreka spoke softly, "If I find that it is you who betrayed me, I won't forgive you."


	17. Hurt like me

A/N: Hm…Wish the manga comes out faster…otherwise it's going to be another hiatus for this story, or I'll have to go completely off the naruto storyline.

**Scribbie:** Well you see…I don't actually know Itachi's next (true) appearance in the manga, so right now I have to leave out how many months had passed until I can patch things up.

**2lazy2comeupwith1:** lol cool I'm glad at least someone caught the chapter title pattern.

I appreciate the patience from you all. :D

* * *

**Chapter 17 – "Hurt like me"**

* * *

-

"How much further are we going?" Voreka finally decided to ask warily after she guessed an hour or so had passed.

Kisame glanced back, but neither man said anything.

"…Okay…_where_ are we headed?" she asked exasperatedly. Wasn't it dishonorable to wear out a challenger before a duel?

The shark man grunted a half-amused, half-irritated noise. It seemed he couldn't resist answering, "Back to the base."

She stopped with an unappreciative glare at their backs, which went ignored. Realizing that she was behaving like a child rather than helping her situation any, she picked up pace again.

"I'm not going back with you."

"Mhmm." It was Kisame who humored her, making her look to him sharply.

"Are you challenging me?" she asked dryly.

She couldn't see from the back, but she got the impression that he rolled his eyes at her question.

She was actually about to take out a kunai when Itachi's voice interrupted her train of thoughts.

"…You have nothing to return to."

Her eyes narrowed distrustfully. Of all the things that phrase could imply, only one thing came to mind. "And why not?" she inquired boldly. She had knocked out her own teammate to – to put it simply – save her life.

"Renna knew why I did…what I did. Unless you mean that she'll betray me."

But of course he chose to remain his cold, silent self.

"…" Not that his silence could imply anything, but she smiled at herself anyway, facing the truth. How blind for her to not see it clearly until then.

"…How long has she been your _spy_?" Voreka asked him lightly, scornfully.

He gave her no reaction at all.

"Interesting that we all went for the scrolls at the same time, isn't it? Even more interesting is the fact that you weren't caught up in her genjutsu."

"Underestimating, are we?" Kisame growled irritably.

"Not underestimating; accusing."

She returned the glare Kisame gave her. Apparently he found her annoying. Then she returned her attention to the man up ahead. "If it's not her, then who is it?"

"…That is of no importance to you anymore."

Kisame stopped walking and swung his sword into fighting stance when she pulled out needles from their holsters.

"You, girl, you got a death wish, or what!?"

"No. But I've been training hard. I've come far. Just for you, Itachi-san," she said sweetly, directing the last part to the black-haired shinobi who continued on as if nothing was happening.

Kisame, on the other hand, pointed his sword at her in challenge. "All _I _see you getting better at is how to annoy the hell out of-"

"Kisame."

Itachi had spoken. They looked at him warily. There was a pause, as if he was debating whether or not he should go on…before he spoke again. "…You cannot win against her, here."

She met the shark man's scrutiny. She noted that he was pretty good at keeping up a scowl in all circumstances.

"Well what do we do with her? _I_, for one, don't want to end up in a coma."

Clenching her teeth, Voreka resisted an urge to smirk at Kisame's jest. Though it was dangerous for her, she couldn't help but wonder at what Itachi would think of that remark.

"…" A suspenseful moment elapsed. Voreka shifted a step back and readied herself.

"…I will make you a deal."

She waited for him to say the rest. Though she already felt that she wasn't going to like anything he had to say.

"…You will get your battle…but not here."

"Well, _yes_, I understood _that_ much," she muttered to herself, aware that she was behaving like an angry kid and unable to help it.

"…If you should lose…then you are free to go."

It didn't quite register properly in her mind. "Huh…?"

Wait…what…? Before she could formulate her question, he went on.

"…If you should win…You may ask anything of me."

Frowning in suspicion, she was about to comment that the two options were the same, except she realized that they weren't. "But of course. Dead people make no demands," she said sarcastically. In other words, losing, or rather, the process of losing simply wasn't going to be good for her health.

"…" She didn't ask whether he meant what he said or not. She didn't think she'd win. "Where, then?"

"Back to the base?" Kisame suggested, earning himself a cold look from the kunoichi. She should've known it'll round back to that.

"Fine," she exclaimed. "I accept."

* * *

-

"How come _we_ got sent to some far-off, unheard-of, freeze-your-ass-off remote effing village while-…hey, yeah, that rhymes!"

"…Uhm…no it doesn't," his partner objected.

"…"

"…"

"…-while_ they _get all the sun and the short traveling time?" Deidara continued.

"Because the leader likes them better than us?" Tobi suggested. "I mean- uh…the cold slows down Kisame-san doesn't it?"

The blonde shot the other man a rather comical, disgusted look and snapped.

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! WHY THE HELL DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO MESS THINGS UP BY BLOWING THINGS UP!?" he practically screamed.

"Actually, Deidara-san, all those times was you... I mean, look who's blowing up right now?"

…

…

…

_Boom._

And that was her first impression of the Akatsuki's hideout.

"No, nothing's amiss," Kisame told her as he passed by when she stopped moving, "keep walking."

A few loose rocks broke off the top of the jagged stone corridor and fell onto the new arrivers. Dark…it was dark, and there was no light. Dust got into one of her eyes and she tried to blink it out.

"Talk of the devil," she heard a familiar voice utter. Suddenly she found a bewildered Deidara in front of her, close enough for her to be able to recognize him in the darkness.

"Oh my god! It _is_ you! What's wrong, what did they do to you?"

"_Oh my god! It _is_ you! What's wrong, what did they do to you?_" a swirl-masked man who popped up in front of the blonde-haired man mimicked.

"GET THE HELL AWAY, TOBI!!!" Deidara bellowed.

She watched as Deidara's blow sent the other man half-flying, half-tumbling out of sight.

"Ahem…" Deidara cleared his throat, sobering up instantly. "Why are you crying?" he asked. "Did those bastards hurt you?"

Thankfully the two men he was referring to had made their way ahead and didn't seem to catch what he said.

"Uh…I'm not crying…"

She stepped back instinctively when he reached for her. Deidara drew his arm back and looked embarrassed.

"Oh…sorry, I didn't mean-…yeah. I'm usually touchy like that-"

"He's touchy alright! See? Can't even keep his hands off me-"

"GO TO HELL, TOBI!!!"

The ground shook momentarily with the impact Deidara's explosion caused.

For a moment she was worried that the ceiling was going to collapse, judging by the considerably more amount of rocks that was breaking off.

…

"What is the meaning of this, Deidara?"

She heard shifting in the darkness. Everyone was turning towards the direction the voice came from.

"…Ah, you two have returned… Did you bring back what you sought?"

"…"

A profound silence.

"…No." It was Itachi's voice which answered.

"But we found _her_…" Kisame added with a low growl.

"The kunoichi you claim to have bested Itachi in battle…resulting in the failure of that mission," the newcomer stated. Voreka stopped rubbing her eyes and peered up through the shroud of shadows. She couldn't see through the dark physically, but her eyes adjusted automatically just enough to see traces of chakra where the stranger stood. She felt their eyes met, though she couldn't see that.

"I see…" the voice said, "…A Loricha. An anomalous at that."

She felt herself go rigid.

_…What?…Just by looking…_

"So they still haven't given up on that experiment."

A jolt of pain struck her, but she refused to let it show. He might've not meant to offend her but it did. It reminded her of all she didn't wish to remember.

"And you two are saying this girl cost you one billion's worth of profit off the sacred scrolls?"

She felt Deidara stiffen beside her.

"Then, pray tell me…_why_ is she alive?"

…

She was a kunoichi, capable of handling the deadliest monsters and facing the foulest of wars. But this…this was different. Her heart hammered in her chest and it was loud enough for her to count its beat.

"…Because she desires to become one of us."

Itachi.

…

"Did you hear that, Kakuzu!? They're planning to allow a woman into the Akatsuki! Pffft. What about the talk of having only nine members? Eh? Eh?"

"Shut up, Hidan. Didn't you hear? She's an anomalous."

"How am I supposed to know whatever the hell that means!?" the man named Hidan snapped back.

She easily located the source of the voices in the dark. They were all spread out, perching on the ledges on the walls of the cavern.

With a tad of exasperation, Kakuzu explained, "Because anomalous' _are _jinchuuriki, in a way. Some clans practice incarnating their ancestors into newborns. The ritual has an eighty percent chance of failure, and when it succeeds, who is to say several centuries of being dead won't change a passed soul? The product is a child who's powerful as is reckless and unstable. And, fearing the wrath of the ancestor, the child is allowed to live, his own chaotic chakra eating away at his young body until he dies before coming of age. I'm surprised you are not familiar with this practice given your religion, Hidan."

A moment of silence.

"…Well said," Voreka remarked. "…That is exactly how it is."

"One thing, though…how did you survive?" the voice belonging to Kakuzu questioned. "If you are an anomalous, then…"

Because she was hesitating, Itachi answered for her.

"…She is from the Village of the Lost Night."

"The Lost Night," the man who she assumed was leader repeated. "And what rank does she hold among those amazons?"

He had directed the question not at her; at Itachi. She answered it for herself. "Chuunin. Special Operations team captain."

"Ah…"

She didn't like his sinister tone.

"Then perhaps you've heard of a man named…Orochimaru?"

_Orochimaru._

She glanced over at Itachi, but his usual stoic expression was giving nothing away.

_Then…he knew... But wait…how much does he know? _

"You are hesitating…" the leader observed.

How was she going to put this?

Slowly and carefully choosing her words, she replied. "One time there was a raid…an army of ninja who specialized in sound techniques and illusions…the very kind of jutsu our village was weak against. They were led by a man named Orochimaru, who seemed interested in the archive of jutsu the Night have assembled."

Voreka shrugged. "What more can I say? The village suffered grave losses on that day; several councilors had to be replaced, and-"

"And you seek revenge, is that it?"

She hesitated again, glancing back at Itachi, who didn't return her gaze. The question did not make any sense to her…but she chose to play along.

"…Yeah…that's right…" she said slowly.

"The Akatsuki is no place for weaklings."

"Yeah, that's right!" Hidan's voice rang out. "Give her the test! I want to see her beat Itachi with my own eyes!"

"…As do I, except…" The leader paused thoughtfully, meaningfully. "I will not have her fight against you, Itachi."

Deidara stiffened beside her.

"…Nor you, Deidara."

Voreka glanced uneasily at each of the hazy silhouettes in the dark. She felt tension in the air. It was as if each member were sizing each other up.

"I can tell by just looking at her that she is not at the same level as us. I see her fear."

She didn't think it would be that noticeable. After all, she had managed to stay perfectly calm and still.

"Potential or no potential, we have no use for an inexperienced killer like her. You," the leader directed the last part to Itachi, "should have known that."

Everyone else remained deathly silent. It was a dangerous moment to speak out.

"You're right," she said clearly and somewhat confidently. "I've only ever killed two people. My strategizing and medical skills are only mediocre. I was made captain for one and one single reason only: acting; my ability to adapt quickly in emergencies."

The green-haired kunoichi of the Night looked up boldly and gave a wry smile. "I make a brilliant spy."

There was a displacement of air. The leader's figure was suddenly behind her, and he made his way around, circling her. "A _spy_… Who is to say you're not a spy sent by someone else?" he questioned. She swallowed. "Won't there be reason to kill you, instead, for knowing our whereabouts?"

He was right, of course. She needed to offer a lot more to be able to convince him.

"I-…"

"I recognize her now…" Kakuzu spoke out. "Loricha Mezhari…only heir to the Hidden Mist's Loricha clan. The bounty is set at two billion yen for her live return."

…

Uh oh. She was getting a bad feeling...

"Well?" Hidan wanted to know. "What are we waiting for? Yo, leader, can we capture her or what?"

"The Loricha's only heir," their leader repeated. "The most feared hunter-nin clan of the East, personal weapons of the Mizukage. And the clan seems desperate enough for the safe return of its heir…"

A pause for effect.

"Welcome."

She pursed her lips. What was she supposed to do? Say 'thank you'? Besides…

"You will be of use to us…" Then, with a change of tone, the leader said, "I'm guessing all of you are tired after your journeys. Deidara, set her up with a room, I will not deal with it."

"And Itachi…" he added, "…I'd like a few words with you."

There was no doubt regarding what topic those few words would relate to. She could hear the underlying hostility in his voice.

"…Yeah, come with me, Voreka-kun," Deidara told her, beckoning with his hand in an almost anxious gesture. She cast a lasting glance behind her.

_So this is the leader, the one even stronger than Uchiha Itachi…_

_...Did he see through my lie?_

* * *

-

"By the way, are you hurt anywhere? I can go grab some supplies along the way if you need any, yeah…"

She kept to herself. Either Deidara was truly eccentric, or that he'd already totally forgotten that she'd betrayed them once before. His behavior did not match up to expectations.

"Voreka-kun?"

"You heard him, that Kakuzu guy; it is not my name."

The blonde fell silent for a few seconds, and she couldn't tell his expression for he was leading ahead. He turned to look over his shoulder and asked, "Which name would you prefer to be called, hn?"

She looked away in thought.

"I already knew that wasn't your name, yeah," Deidara surprised her by saying. "That time we crossed paths with your sensei…she called you by your real name."

He was right. She-she'd forgotten. She'd forgotten because it wasn't meant to be remembered. She had never mentioned the incident to her sensei and Hideka had never asked anything more.

But did she suspect nonetheless?

Deidara stopped before a door, pushing it open with one hand. She followed him inside to get a better look, for there was no light coming in.

"This is…your room," Voreka commented. She could tell by the amount of half-sculpted clay lying around.

"Er, well, you see-"

"Deidara." They both turned to the sound of Itachi's voice. The two men locked eyes.

"Voreka, come," the black-haired man told her. She followed him out, noting his slightly strained posture. Her eyes narrowed.

_Could it be that he's-…?_

Itachi side-stepped, her kunai shot into the stone wall of the corridor, making a sizable crack. His blood-red eyes slowly trailed back to her.

"We still have something to settle," she pointed out.

"Hmph." He leapt back, out of the range of the row of kunai she flung at him. But it was enough for her to confirm it. Already it seemed that he used considerable effort to keep up with her unexpected actions. A gleam of sweat appeared on his temples.

_He's wounded…_

He eyed her warily as she straightened and relaxed her posture. For the first time she felt the illusion of having an advantage over the man, but she knew it was not so. He was simply a wounded predator capable of doing more harm at a moment of aggravation than any other time.

They remained unmoving, facing each other, until finally she spoke. "I have no intention of rushing things, however. Are you going to show me to my room?"

"…"

Her hand was ready to grab another weapon if he made a move. She had no idea if he was going to let her off just like that. Up till then there was only one thing she could be sure of this man, and that was the fact that he was a dangerous, manipulative and unpredictable shinobi. Which he'd proven yet again.

Itachi turned away without a word, and she followed.

The sound of their footsteps echoed. She noted that the rooms were separated by quite a good distance, as they were taking advantage of natural caverns in the mountainside.

"Itachi-san." The corridor echoed his name. But she didn't know how to continue. Neither did he turn around, though she was sure he heard her.

He paused and looked to one side. "…It is here."

Voreka glanced at him, because he made no move to show her in. Those magnetic red eyes didn't look back at her. With an inward shrug, she pushed the door, then heaved her shoulder into it to get it open.

"…There had only been one extra room," Itachi told her, "which had been used for captives. Tobi occupies that room, now. This is…"

"Orochimaru's room," she said.

The aura which tainted the space…she recognized it. There was an incredible stench of evil which lingered there.

_…I cannot stay here. _

Without noticing, she had backed out away from the doorway. She was about to get away before she realized that she'd forgotten Itachi was still there.

Voreka let out a long inward sigh and turned back to him.

"Please let me stay in your room," she managed to get out in one breath.

"…"

* * *

-

Why had she asked him that? Because, up till then, he was the only one among them whom she could trust. If trust was the right word to use.

"Where are you going, Itachi-san?"

He paused, and then resumed walking.

"…" She sighed. "This is your room…where will you go?"

Naturally, he didn't bother to answer.

Voreka bit her lip. What was this? Was she_ afraid_ to be left alone? No, she didn't think they'll do anything to hurt her yet. She was afraid to let him out of her sight. He knew…too much.

"Shouldn't you be keeping an eye on me, Itachi?"

"I know you're aware of the truth," she added. A truth which would get her killed in this situation. "…It seems like you're holding my life in your hands, huh."

_Though this could mean that I have the same hold on you…Itachi-san…_

She remembered the injury he'd received, presumably from the one they called leader. If he meant to blackmail her into submission, it would become a double-edged blade. He had seen her lie straight to their leader's face and had not said anything. If he had then she'd be dead. But then, why would he expose her when he'd gone through all that to bring her here?

…

No, he won't harm her, not after all that trouble.

_We all have a hidden agenda, don't we?_

She stared after him until he disappeared out of sight around a corner.

_I wonder…_

_-_

His room. Meticulously neat, with the exception of inevitable dust. She passed a weapon-drawer, open and lined with a sorted array of kunai and shuriken. He wouldn't be leaving her alone with these readily available to her. He would have to be back soon.

A sheathed katana lying on its stand. She reached out and touched the scabbard, feeling dust coming off with her finger. Was he skilled with a sword, perhaps? She made note of that possibility.

A banging on the door. "Yo, Itachi! I brought over the futon you asked for, yeah."

Deidara's voice. Voreka went to the door and opened it for him, not that it was locked or anything.

"Oh…M-Mezhari-san," he said with a strange stutter. She watched blankly as a pale blush stole across his cheeks. Was he flustered because of her presence?

"Just 'Voreka'. Sorry. Please." She almost rolled her eyes at herself, except that might've raised misinterpretations.

"I'm just- I'm just dropping these off, yeah." He looked down at the bundle in his arms.

"I'll take them," she offered. Their hands brushed as the futon exchanged hands and the blonde blushed. She pretended not to see it. "Thank you."

Without a word, Deidara turned and made his way off.

_Hm…I was going to ask him something but…_

"Wonder what's gotten into him?" she mused out loud, seeing that Itachi was returning from the other side.

"…He does not know how to behave in front of a female who does not show him fear," he replied as he swept past.

"…Oh. Is that all?"

"…"

She followed him back in. Since he made no suggestions, she dropped the futon against the wall next to the door. Then she flopped down onto it to test its thickness. He came to her silently, presenting the folded cloak and blanket in his arms.

"Itachi."

Their eyes met. Voreka let out a small puff of air and glanced off to the side. "I can't stand it when you're showing me weakness. Please let me try to heal you – or at least lie down."

His red eyes narrowed dangerously. It might've been a bad idea implying that he was in a moment of weakness. What was she thinking?

"…You think you figured me out, Voreka?" The next moment, Itachi had one hand circling around her neck, his eyes level with hers. There was no pressure in his hold, nor did his eyes show malice. Simply the feel of his fingers on her throat was enough. She knew of his strength.

"…My motives are not as simple as to be seen by the likes of you."

Hmph.

She grasped his outstretched arm with one hand. "I think you're forgetting something, Uchiha."

A challenge passed through their gazes, each daring the other to make the first move.

"You may think I'm trapped here by using Renna to spread suspicions about me among the Night. You may think I can't escape. Wrong."

"…" He glared back at her when she jerked his arm away from her throat. He rose up when she stood. "…You will go back? Even knowing that?" he voiced his soft, poisonous question. "…Even after the one you trusted most turned her back on you?"

_'He means Hideka,' _she realized. _Heh. Is that what Renna told him?_

"No," Voreka replied. She made her way towards the door, and he did not stop her. "But there is a place that will accept me back and shelter me still."

And that place is?

Her pink eyes drooped in memory, as did a corner of her mouth. But he could only see the back of her, and that was all that mattered.

"Home."


	18. One day you'll let me go

**A/N:** Forgive the horrible author :( some life complications came up. Thank you for all the support.

I'm sorry if there were unanswered questions. Please feel free to bring them up again by messaging me. I will resume updating again when I return from my 2 weeks' vacation.

I think I've made the mistake of calling the _Water Country_ the _Mist Country_ in all previous chapters. The village of the Mist is located in the Water Country and I got confused e.e' my bad.

* * *

**Chapter 18 – "One day you'll let me go."**

* * *

-

The bastards kept her waiting. It was cold. She wasn't too sure if it was colder out in the night with the sand or inside the caves, but she finally found her way out and was not the heck going back in to look for her escorts.

Voreka shifted her weight listlessly from foot to foot. She was kind of drowsy, too. She got no rest at all.

The sound of sand crunching signaled the approach of another walking being.

"Did you come to see us off, Deidara?" Voreka asked, glancing in his direction.

"…Huh? How did you know?" the fellow Akatsuki asked sheepishly in return.

She turned back to face the moon. "Uh…let's see. You didn't try to sneak up on me. Does that answer your question?"

Deidara let out a small chuckle, and then pointed out, "You left your cloak behind."

"Well I'm not carrying that dumb thing with me, since I'm not going to be wearing such a hindrance." Even though that was going to get her in trouble, she planned to avoid it for as long as she could.

Their leader wouldn't dispose of her for just that cloak requirement if he wanted the influence of the most ancient and expansive clan in Water Country's history.

"Uhn. I thought you'd think that way. So I took time to prepare you this," Deidara declared, presenting her with a cloth bundle in a flourishing bow.

She took it, since he seemed to want her to take it. "Oh…" was all she could muster when she shook it out. For a moment it actually didn't make sense to her. Then she glanced at him and asked, "Did you run out of cloth or is it actually supposed to be this…short?"

Deidara shrugged knowingly and his one visible eye smirked. "Trust an artist's eye. I know what will look good on you, yeah."

"But…" She hoped he wasn't going to take offense from this. "It looks…too tight to fit over what I'm wearing."

"Ah, but at least it wouldn't get in your way, now would it?" he questioned slyly.

"…" She stared at his attempt to play innocent. "Why do I get the feeling that I won't win this argument?"

"So are you going to wear it?" Deidara asked, his one visible eye smirking.

"Fine…but when I feel like it."

"I thought you said you weren't going to carry excess luggage with you," the blonde drawled, feigning disinterest.

"…"

* * *

-

"Stop trying to cover the designs! It looks perfect!"

"It's_ cold_, Deidara," she declared wryly. "Why are there _holes _at the waist!?"

"Do you not recognize embroidery when you see it!? Those clouds took the longest to make! Wha-what are you doing!?" Deidara yelled, trying to pull his sleeve away.

"Give me your cloak! I'm cold!"

"Geez...you're really like a kid. When are your babysitters going to arrive?" he muttered loud enough to be heard.

"Old man, isn't this a bit late to be up for your health?"

_Those two really are like children…_ Kisame thought, wondering if the kunoichi knew that she was waiting at the wrong exit and was only trying to be a pain.

"Hey," Deidara used a change of tone. "Are you really going to be alright with those two? And it's several missions at once…"

She inclined her head to one side, smiling as she closed her eyes briefly. "The leader is no fool." He was wise enough to get her out of their midst the same day she 'joined'. "Are you worried about me, Deidara-chan? I'll be fine."

"Famous last words, Voreka."

"Besides…It's not like those two even need my help," she claimed, waving a hand dismissively. "I'll just be standing out back."

"That's not what I am getting at…"

She should've laughed it off. Should have gone around it somehow. If it came from the mouth of someone else, she would have. Something made her pause. She wondered why that was, glancing back into his one eye which glowed blue even in the dark.

It took a few steady heartbeats, but it came to her. It had been before her all along.

There was something else beneath that awkward and expressive mask. Perhaps it was that familiarity which let her accept him so easily. He may well be more dangerous than even the likes of Uchiha Itachi, though no one will know unless he decides to show it.

Yes, this man was…like her. She would have trouble fooling someone who had her same habit of acting daft.

"Is there something I don't know about Kisame and Itachi-san?" Voreka asked innocently, raising an eyebrow and turning to face him fully.

"N-no-…" he denied hurriedly. Knowing the pink-eyed girl's personality, she would probably turn right around and bug her teammates about whatever he tells her.

"But aren't you…afraid in the least?" Deidara asked her curiously. Not even someone as clueless as Tobi would risk hanging with Kisame and Itachi. They had no humor at all and zero tolerance for fools.

Then again, no one had any tolerance for Tobi. So why was _he _stuck with the annoying bastard!?

"Nope," she lied, raising a suspicious eyebrow at Deidara's agitated expression. The kunoichi looked up, shrugging apathetically so that she wouldn't have to see his incredulous expression. "They wouldn't do anything to me."

"Uh huh…" Deidara arched his visible eyebrow. "What makes you say that so surely, uhn?"

She reflected on how to reply for the next few minutes, the desert sand being scattered by the breeze coming in from the west served as the only background sound.

Finally, she pointed at the blonde for dramatic effect and claimed, "Because Itachi's fallen hard for me."

It took some effort to not laugh at her own joke. It wouldn't sound all that convincing if she did.

"……"

"You don't have to look that surprised…Deidara…" Voreka told him dryly.

"…Wh-wha-wha--!?  
He didn't actually buy that, did he?

Voreka hastily decided to change the topic.

"Thank you for the concern, Deidara. You're a good man." She laughed and told him jokingly, "If it had been you instead, then I…well-…things would certainly be different."

He seemed disturbed by that. In fact, he looked away from her and grew more restless by the second. Was saying something like that to a high ranked criminal inappropriate? She winced.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you or anything!"

"Ahahaha!" Kisame let out the laugh he had been holding in, causing the two to look over. Once again Deidara had turned that shade of red he reserved for the green-haired girl, although it was hard to tell in the dark, and Voreka couldn't see it because the blonde had purposefully turned his head aside so that his long dense bangs curtained his face. But they had seen it.

"So they finally decided to show up," the kunoichi muttered to herself.

"What's this, Deidara?" Kisame couldn't help asking. "Could this be the beginning of what they call 'love'?"

"…We are wasting time," the Uchiha said beside him. "Come," he commanded of the girl.

_Impressive, _thought Kisame, _perfectly stoic as usual. Like he heard nothing at all._

"Gee…you could've showed up earlier, then," Voreka grumbled.

_…Impressive…perfectly carefree as usual. Like she_ said_ nothing at all._

_Ugh these two…in the end it'll be me who'll incur Itachi's wrath. Even though he brought this upon himself no matter how you look at it…_

_…_

_'I can assign her to someone else, if you do not want to bother with this,' _their leader had said when he had summoned them to give them their next assignment. _'You know this, too, don't you?' _the man had asked Itachi. _'The Lorichas today are the result of careful selective breeding of bloodlines. You will encounter a high level of chakra and bloodline usage. You two are the most capable for this assignment.'_

_…_

Out east, the Loricha clan's hunter nins were an outlaw's worst fear. Aside from the Mizukage, no one else had influence over the clan, and so they seldom mobilized aside from reasons regarding their own clan members. The agreement was that they were allowed to reside undisturbed in the Water Country as long as they will hunt down and eliminate anyone within their clan who steps out of line.

Even if that person was meant to be the next head of the Loricha clan.

What were the girl's charges again? Loricha Mezhari, guilty of killing a feudal lord of the Water Country and his eight Chuunin bodyguards, wasn't it?

It was going to be a long and tedious mission.

"…Why the gloom?" Voreka asked her team curiously, turning to follow after waving goodbye to Deidara.

* * *

-

"…Wait…why am I the one who has to sneak in?"

"Because you're the one who fell asleep while walking, so we lost time waiting for you to wake up instead of sneaking into the town at night!"

"Why didn't you wake me up, then!? Don't yell!"

"…Itachi-san…" Kisame looked over to his partner for assistance.

"Voreka," the Sharingan master's velvety voice sounded, "stop giving Kisame a hard time."

Voreka glared back at the shark man. "Alright, alright. Watch, then. Don't interfere."

She started towards the main gates, then stopped and glanced back. "Aren't you guys coming with me?"

They stared at her like she said something crazy.

"I thought you said this isn't a ninja town. Don't worry, then." She motioned for them to follow. "Leave it to me."

Voreka ran a hand over the air in front of her, hoping that none of the guards were skilled enough to detect an illusion being used. The place was a freakin_ fortress_; the walls went right up into the sky. No way was she going to waste energy scaling up that thing.

"Halt there! Get in line like everyone else!"

The kunoichi raised an eyebrow at who seemed to be the head guard, a bearded man wearing the least armor among all the guards. "Line? What line?" She glanced over to see that where was supposed to be a lineup had been scattered by the intimidating presence of the two shinobi behind her. "…Oh." They followed her after all. She dug inside her sleeve and pulled out the small, metal badge.

"Do I need to line up even carrying_ this_?"

A look of shock came over the man's face as she held it the object up in front of him. No, he probably hadn't been expecting that, a remote artisan town such at this. ""Tha-t-! That's a Designated Hunternins' Pass! What brings you here my lady?"

Kisame glanced at Itachi and could tell by the small frown on his face that the other man was wondering the same thing.

A Designated Hunternin's Pass was issued by a country's Kage, signifying that the hunter nin was sent by the Kage to search and kill a wanted criminal with a high bounty in their own country. The purpose of the Pass was to allow the hunter nins to enter all towns and villages which wished to remain in the specified country's favor, to search for their target.

How the hell did the girl get a hold of a genuine pass marked with the symbol of the _Sound_ Country!?

"Let's see…" she glanced over at her two companions before answering. "We're missing nin from a criminal organization here to assassinate the feudal lord for the impressionable bounty set on his head from his past days as a Special Jounin of the Sand Village," Voreka said with one breath.

Time slowed and went rigid. Itachi shifted his eyes to Kisame, who readied himself for the worst case scenario.

A cough. Followed by laughter from the head guard. "You said that with a straight face, too! Our lord, an ex-ninja? That's a good one! Haha!"

Voreka shrugged in response to the glares she was getting from her companions.

"My work is confidential. Now, will you let me and my companions through? Or do you have to bother the feudal lord himself to come out for this?"

"Ah…"

She could see him gnawing over this.

"Because you know, that would make our job easier," she added with a laugh.

He laughed with her, albeit nervously.

"I should like to take down your names, at least," the head guard's voice quivered slightly, as if he was afraid to have offended her.

"The Sound Village's, I am Genzou Hinako," Voreka bowed. She then gestured to the other two. "These are Moudoku and Yin Shizuka, my teammates."

She saw the man sneak a glance to his side at another guard, who nodded in confirmation, and pretended she didn't notice.

"Very well…because the Sound Country has respected us so far… Don't cause us any trouble while you're here."

The rows of guards parted at a nod from their superior. The heavy metal gate was drawn up by a mechanism apparently operated from inside the walls.

So much defense for a simple prosperous artisan town. The rumors must be true.

"Thank you," she told the head guard and glanced over at Kisame and Itachi. Both men had their eyes obscured by large straw hat over their heads. But she gave them an ambiguous smile before going on ahead. "Are you coming?"

Neither man made move at first. "…Itachi-san…" Kisame's questioning voice said.

"…"

"…I see," the Uchiha said quietly, eyes narrowing dangerously. "…It looks like I have underestimated her."

* * *

-

_Bold. A bold move, Mezhari. _

The green-haired kunoichi stared down at the badge in her hand before tucking it away again. She stood facing the street leading to town center, waiting for the two to catch up.

_But did you think I was easy as that, Uchiha Itachi? Did you think that I, a loyal and stubborn kunoichi, would fall puppet with only that much struggle? _

_This, was only fair warning. In return for what you told me about the Night Village, a secret I would have not uncovered otherwise._

So now they were even.

"Why the gloom…?" Voreka asked absently when they arrived, taking their precious time, to where she was.

"…Let's get started," Itachi replied calmly without even glancing at her.

"Wait."

Dark red eyes underneath the straw hat turned to her. She had never gotten used to those overwhelming eyes, but there were times such as these when it simply snuck her breath away when he looked at her.

What was she about to say? What was it?

"I may have used genjutsu on those guards, but that's something I can't keep up for long, and there are too many opportunities for us to be recognized. As you know, the Loricha's hunter nins are probably looking for me. I know you want to avoid that for as long as possible," she said sweetly.

_This girl…_ Kisame, for one, had not seen that coming. _That was an obvious threat. She is toying with fire._

Voreka met the demon shark's eyes and smiled a smile which was disturbing to him. "…I can fix this yet."

-

That was how, thirty minutes later, the kunoichi returned to their rented room in a nearby inn with a load of goods in her arms. She dumped them on the twin bed next to a seated Itachi who remained even more silent and foreboding than usual. He did not even look up when she returned.

"There's some sort of festival going on. I don't know why, but there're so many wearing these festive masks." She held one up from her stack of goodies for example. "But hey, aren't these awesome? Pick one," she said to Kisame. "And I got you a cloak-…"

She noticed his displeased expression upon hearing that and explained, "You do notice this place is built like a prison… What do you suppose will happen when they've been alerted of outlaws within these walls?"

"Hmph." Kisame scowled. "Not unless they all want to die."

"…There are ones who will give their lives for their country."

Voreka rested her gaze on Itachi, who had spoken. It was clear who he had directed that statement at.

"…For another being to destroy a dangerous criminal, they would pay the ultimate price themselves," his smooth, steady flowing voice went on.

Their eyes met and held. It was something she did not enjoy doing, for the beauty and danger of those crimson eyes made them something terrible to behold. How could someone with a poker face like him have a pair of such…_honest _eyes?

And their message was clear.

Just one wrong move. Just one. Then she will most surely die.

"But that's what you would call weak, isn't it, Itachi-san?" she asked, smiling lightly. "After all, a person who's 'strong'…will just take care of the criminal himself, right?"

Kisame heaved an inward sigh. The heavy atmosphere was getting worse by the minute. A long and tedious mission indeed.

"Don't mind me, I'll just get to work first," Kisame excused himself, exiting quietly by the door. The door slammed and jingled behind him.

"Your hair has gotten longer…" She was touching his hair freely and only half aware of what she was doing at first. His hair was beautiful with a luster uncommon to ninja who focused their energy on training rather than worrying about their appearance. "If you let it down and switch off your Sharingan, no one here would recognize you."

He did not seem to react to that. He did not move when she crouched slightly and reached her arms around him.

And that's when he caught one of her wrists in his iron grip, a mere half-inch away from his temples, almost startling her with the speed.

"…Your hands are trembling, Voreka-san," Itachi said softly.

She drained the surprise from her face and asked in response, "Did you think I was about to try something?"

"…You should not stress so much in your condition," the unreadable man replied, letting go of her arm. "I will get it myself."

_…What condition? _Voreka had to wonder herself. She watched as he reached up behind his head and loosened his headband. It came off, spilling more hair around his shoulders.

She checked herself, to prevent displaying a reaction.

_…_

_He…_

_He can almost be mistaken for a woman…_

Such a beautiful face. She would even be a little envious, if ninja weren't taught to disregard such trivial matters.

Her hand brushed his skin as she applied concealer for his cheeks. It wasn't something she could prevent, having so little expertise in that. But he never did stop her from messing with his face until she was done.

"…You have lost weight," Itachi said unexpectedly, causing her to miss a breath. "…Your hair lost its waves…"

So he noticed. Then he knew. Or at least suspected.

"My lips aren't red anymore, either. Or did you not notice that, Itachi-san?"

That had been a dangerous move. Whatever else he was, he was also a man and a proud one. A comment like that from a woman he considered inferior…he must've taken offense.

The red-eyed man stood. She backed away to give him a space of two arm's length. The man shook off his cloak gracefully, turning it inside-out so that the red clouds were on the inside.

"…Best not let Kisame alone for too long," he told her, putting his cloak back on.

"Your eyes," Voreka reminded him. She gave a half smile and fixed her own eye color, hovering her hand over her pink irises and placing an illusion over them. "I'll be out with Kisame-san."

But the shark man was not in the hall. He was not down in the lobby either, and a nod from the innkeeper told her that he had gone out. She knew where he went, and knew that he would return.

It would be easy to gauge the limit of their trust through this incident. She sank down into a chair to wait and saw that her legs were shaking despite herself.

_If you want to end this now, let's end this now, Itachi. But if you choose to let this carry on…I will make it harder on you._

_After all, I am a kunoichi capable of wiles. _

* * *

-

"I already sent a message back. What will we do in the meantime, Itachi-san?" Kisame asked from outside the window.

The suspense was unnerving. Itachi may not be someone who appreciates excessive violence, but he was still a merciless being. How will he react, knowing that the amateur and soft-hearted girl they came across by accident back in Konoha, was now an Akatsuki spy?

"…Did she think I would make it easy on her…?" Itachi said at last, narrowing his eyes. So this was how she was going to play, knowing that she couldn't defeat the two of them up front. He turned, giving his partner a nod of dismissal. "This gamble…I will win."

"A gamble you say?" Kisame grunted in annoyance. "Now I see why she's been assigned to us. The leader must want to keep her, then."

_A gamble in trust and loyalty, is that what it is?_

"…Before her reinforcements find her," Itachi said after careful consideration, "…before she meets with her clan. We must gain her trust…or destroy her before she betrays us."

Gain her trust?

Kisame knew as well as the other man that the heart of a ninja did not switch sides that easily.

"How do you propose to do that, Itachi-san?"

Instead of answering right away, the long-haired man moved to the door. He paused with his hand on the handle. Kisame suspected he was tired of talking already.

"…If it were not for our leader wanting to keep her. She would already be dead."

…

Kisame stared after him when the door shut, leaving the room empty.

_Huh. That's what you _say, _but…_ He hadn't seen the man make even one threatening gesture towards the kunoichi yet. Then again, he probably wouldn't understand what goes through the mind of a genius.

-

"You took your time," Voreka commented when the man she was waiting for descended the stairs. The innkeeper, a short, good natured woman with more grey than black in her hair who had been chatting with her, kept trying to catch her eye like she wanted to tell her something.

Voreka politely ignored the strange behavior and told her, "Please take care of our rooms."

Turning back to face Itachi, she motioned towards him. "Shall we get to it?"

His onyx eyes fixed on her, and he bowed his head in agreement.

"Apparently it's the feudal lord's birthday-…" she explained, falling into step next to him.

"Enjoy your date, dears!" the innkeeper's voice trailed after them.

"…"

"-birthday…and he is going to parade around town sometime at noon," Voreka continued to say. "So since we've got time, why don't we-…"

"Yes, why don't we play a game?" Itachi surprised her by asking.

"What game?" she asked sweetly, drawing his unblinking gaze to her.

Itachi stared ahead of him, and after a moment, he answered her. "…It is called _charade_. The first person to speak a truth to the other…will lose."

"…" "But there is a catch, is that right?" Voreka was sharp enough to figure that out.

He had a trace of a smile on his lips when he replied, "Of course."

She, in turn, looked to the side so that he couldn't see the identical smile on her lips. "A game isn't exciting unless the stake is high."

"…"

Whatever he was going to say, she had been fully prepared to hear.

"…Your life, Mezhari-san…and mine. In a game of two, there can only be one winner."


	19. Until then I am

**A/N:** ...Sorry...for late update... -dodges flock of shuriken-

Sometime during the long absence of updates I had to reformat my computer and... There isn't a grammar check on my writing anymore. Please inform me if you see something that seems out of place.

Thank you all for being so unwilling patient.

* * *

**Chapter 19 – "Until then I am"**

* * *

- 

It was strange. It had been easy enough getting in, so then why were those walls built so high?

"Eyeing the town gate already? It won't be easy with me keeping watch on you, you know."

"I-I don't need your advice!" she snapped back at Kisame.

She felt his scowl on the back of her head.

"You're really loose. Itachi-san is really too easy on you."

Her eyes slid back to the shark man following close behind.

"Don't tell me you're jealous, Kisame-san."

Voreka ducked as something heavy swung over her head. But it wasn't Kisame who did that.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" the man scolded as he passed.

She stepped back to take in the long procession of hand-pulled carriages.

"Ohh...how pretty..." Voreka glanced to another onlooker beside her and asked, "Are these all gifts to the feudal lord?"

"You can tell the rumor is true that he likes pretty things," the townsgirl next to her giggled.

"Kisame-san, I have an idea."

"Like hell I'm going to listen to you" his muffled voice behind his mask snarled.

"Well, good," she muttered, "because I wasn't going to involve you anyway."

Voreka winced as his hand clamped down on her shoulder.

"Look-..." she tried not to sound pained "...is it really a good idea to attack the target who'll most likely be a decoy, out in the open? Let's at least see where this procession is leading."

He let go of her and she breathed a sigh of relief. At least, now they were taking her as someone to be reckoned with.

She rubbed her shoulder and frowned. Although she had the feeling the shark man only wanted excuses to retaliate on her.

"It's here."

She looked up at Kisame's grunt.

It was a large and flamboyant building, coated in shades of red, maroon and gold. The low walls giving view to the large courtyards behind them.

"This looks like a-..."

"Yeah, a brothel?" Voreka shrugged helplessly. "I guess I'll check it out." She jumped aside before Kisame could grab hold of her or anything. "Don't worry, I'm really only taking a look around."

She took a few steps towards the main door, wondering what he'll do.

"If you cause us any more trouble again..." Kisame growled.

She blinked slowly. It was true that she was the cause of failure for two of their important missions. They'd probably _kill _her the next chance they get.

"Heh," Voreka laughed. But he brought up a good point. "Even if it's temporary, it's not good to have doubt in your comrades on dangerous missions, is it?" She sighed to herself in resignation. "Very well. I will propose a truce until my all my obligations with your organization are severed, but I will have informed both of you when that time has come."

No wonder he probably wasn't convinced. She was having trouble convincing herself.

"Damn, whatever." She pointed at him. "You can keep an eye on the parade on your own. You don't want Itachi-san getting mad wondering where we are, do you?"

Voreka didn't wait for his response. He wouldn't go as far as to attract attention by causing a scene anyway. She went to the wall and moved along it, noting the number of guards standing watch.

Actually, she was fine with Kisame. No matter how quick the shark man was to resort to drawing his sword, he wasn't one who'll stab you in the back when you least expect it.

Maybe she was only really using this as an excuse to avoid confronting Uchiha Itachi for a while longer.

"…_It is called _charade._ The first person to speak a truth to the other…will lose."_

How utterly absurd and senseless his challenge seemed. But with a cold and cunning man like that...

The memory flashed into her mind just then.

Once, back then they ran into hunter-nins of the Loricha clan who were dispatched to retrieve her. But Atari had wanted to kill her, instead. It was none other than Uchiha Itachi who more or less sacrificed his own body to spare her from an injury from one of Atari's assaults.

So to think, that's actually three times she owes him.

"Don't move," she whispered next to the guard's ear. It only took three hand movements with both hands for her to tap the six chakra centers from behind him. He should no longer be able to move or speak while still being locked in his upright position for only ten minutes or less. There was no time to waste.

"Hmph. I still don't know what he wants from me," Voreka scoffed to herself.

The footsteps of arriving people were heard. She shrug off her daze and leapt over the thin wall into the inner courtyard.

_Just a glance will be sufficient. I only need to check if there is anyone with a significant amount of chakra here._

_Annnnd-..._

"What are you doing here?"

She whipped around in startlement.

"Are you a new one?"

Her eyes found the figure of a man in traditional robes. He flipped his fan closed and snapped his fingers. "Girls!"

"Um, no," Voreka denied, "I'm really just tresspassing."

"Um...okay...?" she inquired as two summoned girls appeared at her side and dragged her off by her arms.

* * *

- 

"Fenn-sama, it seems that one of the guardsmen reported that someone had infiltrated the place." That was the messenger's urgent report.

"I see," the man she had encountered earlier in the courtyard - who actually turned out to be a caretaker of the place - pointed his folded fan towards the outer courtyard. "Make sure there are no disturbances on the outside. Locate where the infiltrator is," he ordered.

_'And the infiltrator is right here,'_ Voreka thought to herself wryly.

"My, aren't you a pretty thing. Your features are so refreshingly charming, almost like a doll's."

_'Oh, is that so?' _She stared a half-lidded, incredulous stare at her own reflection.

"Just now," the man rambled on, "one of our highly respected patrons spotted you while you were brought over. He wishes to see you, why don't you meet him in the inner courtyard?"

She forced a smile and curtseyed. "I will take my leave."

-

As soon as she left the room she began undoing the ornaments they placed in her hair.

_This was a mistake. I'm getting out of here._

Then she felt it. A tiny, miniature trail of power. She turned to its direction.

_Inner courtyard, was it? _

Voreka glanced over her shoulder at the outer walls, then back at the inner courtyard and made up her resolve.

She entered the inner courtyard through an arched doorway.

White silk curtains hung about, everywhere she looked. They rippled in the air, nearly touching the water underneath the interlaced bridges.

_'What's this? Laundry day?' _Voreka wondered with sarcasm as she moved through them towards her destination.

"I am pleased you agreed to show before me," a male voice greeted her from the center of the largest gazebo on the bridges.

"You are..." She moved her hands through a few handseals before slapping the ground beneath her. An upward wind swept all the viewing obstacles out of the way.

He was a tall man, a pretty man actually. His hair draped all the way to the ground beneath his robes, a strange transparency to it.

"The feudal lord to this town, are you not?" Voreka asked knowingly. "I must admit I've been detected sooner than I thought."

She knew something had been off right from when the manager guy had been able to sense her presence even while she was concealing it. And she, on the other hand, had not felt this man's chakra until he let himself be known.

Well, naturally there must've been a reason why no hunter-nin so far has been able to track down and kill this man.

"So...was this place meant to be some kind of trap all along?"

He chuckled. The curtains were settling back to their original state. "Is it polite to introduce yourself with questions and a masked appearance?"

A slight tug of unease at the base of her heart.

It seemed that this opponent would be well-versed in the art of genjutsu.

Voreka smirked, running a hand past in front of her to dismiss the disguise she had made using genjutsu. "You're right. So why don't you stop hiding behind the veils, too?"

"Heh."

No sooner than he gave that laugh, all the curtains went up by themselves. She was almost betrayed into giving a start.

_Was that a jutsu just now? I didn't hear any hand movements._

"So..." Voreka dropped down to a crouching stance, one arm outstretched in a gesture of challenge before her. "I am here to take your life."

A gentle smile appeared on his lips. "It's the first time such a lovely girl has come to play with me. I'll show you the reason why I remain undefeated even now..."

She shielded her face against a sudden gust of wind. Except it wasn't wind. It took a few seconds for her to assimilate what was happening.

It was a smell. The scent of roses engulfed her senses.

"That's right..." her opponent's voice sounded from somewhere. Shit...she lost track of him that easily?

"My forte is genjutsu," he confirmed. "But I don't create illusions using imagery. Those who rely on the sense of smell and sound will be exceptionally drawn into my illusions."

The sound of something coming at her. She dodged abruptly to one side. But there was nothing to be seen, neither was there the sound of impact.

"I see...you can manipulate my movements in this way."

Looks like she had to use her bloodline limit for this fight.

Reaching two fingers up, she pressed against her closed eyelids.

_I have to be able to see beyond his genjutsu._

Her eyes snapped open. Haze.

Everywhere was hazy, and with an overwhelming smell of roses. It didn't look much different from before activating her third eye.

_Where the hell is-_

She leapt back to avoid the sound of projectiles passing in front, but the pain of shuriken slicing into her skin appeared on her back. That was quite careless of her.

_What. is happening. _

_I can't see-...I can't see him._

It was also getting difficult to breathe.

Voreka was practically gasping for adequate air by the time she successfully countered his shuriken with her own - except that his never existed in the first place.

"You're not going to win if you can't attack me..."

Quickly, she formed a few required seals and drew in a breath.

_**Wind Summoning Technique: Maurading Gale!**_

She blew in the direction his voice came from, the breath amplifying to the extent that she had to step apart and braced herself against the backlash.

At the same time she sensed something wrap itself around her ankles.

_This-_

The next thing she heard was the sound of blades driven into flesh, and then came the smell of blood.

It was...painful. Too painful to moan or to cry out in pain.

She was struggling to remain upright as blood pooled below her feet, and though she couldn't see it, there was something preventing her moving from her spot.

_This is an...illusion, too...?_

And it was, for she couldn't see with her activated eyes any chakra leaving her from the wound.

_I have to release myself from his genjutsu then._

Voreka clasped her hands together in front of her. She needed to concentrate despite the illusions.

_**Release!**_

Of course, she didn't expect her opponent to make this easy.

"...How pathetic."

Her blood froze in her veins. It took a tremendous amount of willpower to get the stiff muscles in her neck to allow her to glance up.

Uchiha Itachi.

Of course it was Itachi.

"Argh. Why! Anyone but you!" she complained out loud to whatever fates that were listening.

Oh, great. Concentrating now will just get that much harder.

The cloaked figure took a step closer. She heard the sound of a kunai blade being drawn as she squeezed her eyes shut to prevent losing focus.

Crap.

The sound of his sleeves. Movement.

Sharp pain dug into her arms.

"You can't fool me with this!" she snapped. "If you had wanted to kill me, you would've done so long ago!"

It was strange, this unexpected silence. Had she broken through the enemy's genjutsu?

"...Do not be so conceited." His voice was soft and malicious.

She couldn't resist cracking open one eye. Chakra. She was seeing his chakra.

"Eh... Itachi-san...you're actually here?" She glanced down. No puddle of blood on the ground, although she could feel the various minor scratches she failed to avoid recieving.

She checked her arms, finding no wound. The two kunai lodged into the ground, one beside each of her feet, seemed to be from Itachi.

"You were careless, getting caught up in the enemy's power of suggestion."

"S-so it wasn't a genjutsu in the first place?" Voreka asked to herself incredulously.

"And my trap would have worked, too, if your partner hadn't interfered."

Itachi's red eyes flickered over to the silhoutte beyond the haze. He had activated his sharingan.

"All I needed was wait for that instant when all chakra activity is paused when people try to release themselves from a genjutsu. They are practically defenseless in that short moment. And then..."

It happened fast.

Itachi stepped back, at the same time billowing a mass of flame across the surface of the water.

A strong, putrid smell drifted through the air. Voreka caught a floating particle still burning as it swept past her.

_This is...hair!?_

"Hmph. As I thought. A sharingan user is able to detect me."

The feudal lord stood, on the surface of the water which the fireball had grazed over a moment before.

"Well, I have no intention of engaging myself in a lethal battle on my day of celebration. Stay a while, and I will come find you."

He vanished.

"We're just letting him escape?" Voreka asked in surprise.

She tensed as the man's red eyes trailed to her. She realized that he was looking at the rather...well, revealing costume she was in.

"It's not what it looks like," Voreka said mechanically. "Well, think what you will, but it's not what you think." She turned away uneasily, knowing that she wasn't going to get off so easy after...what she unintentionally blurted out to him earlier.

"Mezhari-kun."

She halted in mid-stride. It was possibly the first time she actually _shook_ at the sound of someone's voice.

He had never addressed her with such familiarity.

_Okay. So he's angry. Just don't provoke him more._

Voreka swallowed and turned back to face him squarely with a forced smile.

"Yes? Itachi-dono." She leapt back automatically as he advanced a step towards her, bumping into the column behind. "No, no. I already know you will best me in a fair fight."

And then he was suddenly before her, one elbow pinning her below her right collarbone, and not by any means lightly at that.

"...I get the impression that you are taking me too lightly now," he said next to her ear, a lock of his soft hair brushing against her neck. The man pulled back, and even though his head was turned slightly to one side, she could clearly see his red eyes start turning in a slow, circular motion.

Voreka clenched her fists.

_Don't tell me he's going to-_

She squeezed her eyes shut. "Of-of course I take you seriously, Itachi-san."

"..."

Even as she was saying that, the black-haired missing-nin was frowning into his own eyes in the rectangular compact mirror Voreka was shielding her eyes with.

Yep, that was the only feeble method of defense she had thought up within that one month she was away from him.

She felt him release his hold on her and flinched in fear. If even possible, she probably just made him even angrier.

"What I said before was...because..."

_Because what? What? Because I was talking my thoughts out loud again?_

Voreka felt a muscle in her cheek twitch uncomfortably.

"...because I'm accepting the terms of your 'game'." She felt strangely calm when she said that. "So how about it?"

_"The first person to speak a truth to the other…will lose."_

A valid excuse...probably.

"...Is that so?" the man asked coolly. A small smirk, almost hidden by the high collar of his cloak, accompanied by an unfamiliar glint in his eyes as he stared ahead. "...Do your best."

_'I have a feeling he just got the upper hand again,' _she thought sulkingly. _'But whatever this is about, like hell I'm going to lose.'_

"By the way, Itachi-dono. I can't possibly go outside with rips in my attire. Lend me your cloak?"

He caught onto her plan as quick as that, closing his eyes briefly before drawing his arms out of his cloak. She did not, however, foresee him placing it around her shoulders himself.

"Anything else?" the Uchiha asked smoothly, upholding his usual stoic demeanor without flaw.

She refused to flinch.

_I see. So he's taking this seriously._

"Itachi-dono, have you ever been in a festival before?"

For a minute she thought he wasn't going to bother replying.

But finally he did answer, with a narrowing of his eyes. "...Yes."

"Then I'm sure you won't mind spending some time with me in this one."

She smirked, leaping onto the rooftop. "Want to?"

* * *

- 

Okay, she'd admit that taunting him like this wasn't going to make her win, but...

Voreka picked up a fake color-coded shuriken from the counter. "Loser buys dinner?" she suggested to the black-haired missing-nin beside her.

But she hadn't participated in a festival since that time before she became a kunoichi.

Itachi again closed his eyes momentarily, a small curl on one corner of his lips. She decided that must be his way of expressing amusement.

"I'll take that as a yes..." She pulled back her arm, readying her throw. Dangling metal cylinders with vertical slots in them were the targets. Vertical throws were damn annoying but...at least the throwing distance was short. "Here I go."

"Amazing!" the stand keeper applauded after her seventh consecutive score in.

She glanced at the still man beside her.

_Guess he doesn't want to after all._

But as she let her next shuriken fly, it was knocked out of the air as another shuriken intercepted its path.

"Hey...!"

"He scores one!"

Her eyes flew to the targets.

_What? When? He did when he knocked mine away?_

She glanced back at Itachi, surprised to find an apparent smirk on his face.

"Oh really." Voreka picked up another shuriken in a huff.

She saw it this time; he had timed his throw so that it would change the direction of hers _and_ use it as leverage for his own to get in.

"My, I never knew you were someone who'll play dirty," Voreka remarked sarcastically, picking up two at once.

"He scores nine!"

"He scores seventeen!"

"I'm stopping before I embarass myself any further," she muttered to herself. Her pink eyes narrowed suspiciously at the shinobi beside her. "How do you do it?"

"Heh..." He answered without glancing at her. "...You toss all your throws exactly the same way."

"T-that's-" _not_ "-true!" she cried indignantly.

"Young man, won't you pick a prize for your girlfriend?"

"Not his girlfriend."

"My...lover..." Itachi said slowly.

Voreka gazed at his profile through her lashes.

_...It can't be... Is he referring to 'that' incident? _

"Itachi-dono, could you have possibly been holding a grudge against me all this time?" she asked sweetly.

He half-turned and presented her with a hairpin he selected. She fixed him with a skeptical look, but he showed no reaction on his face.

She took the hairpin and fixed it up into her hair for him to see.

"Alright, how do I look?"

Itachi gave her a sidelong glance.

"Beautiful," he said that one word dismissively, before looking somewhere ahead of him like he always did, always on alert.

"Uh huh...thanks."

For some reason this Itachi was more infuriating than the normal blunt and no-nonsense she feared. For some reason she...

She stepped on the sole of his sandal from the back as he was about to walk away.

He glanced back menancingly at her over his shoulder.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked with a strained smile.

* * *

- 

"Girl, you look like you're about to die."

"Lemme...alone..." She lifted her head briefly only to let it bang against the table again.

"I can't believe he bested me in every game..." Kisame heard her mumble.

"What!? _That's _what you two have been doing all afternoon!? What of the mission!?"

"I don't know. Ask the cheat master," she mumbled again. "I think we're just waiting for the feudal lord to show up."

"Say, Kisame-san." Voreka sat up suddenly. "Hasn't Itachi-san ever lost his temper at me?"

The shark man blinked, thinking back briefly.

Well, there was that time - when she had tried to escape them while the Uchiha was injured, slowing down his recovery process even more.

Then that time - when she's stolen a kiss from Itachi while claiming that he was her lover to make the hunter-nins of her clan believe her.

And that time - knocking her head against his chin while waking up in his arms.

And that time-...and that-...

"You...don't have to list out everything..." Just as she thought.

"But if he really did lose his temper, I'd have thought you'd be dead by now."

A thought hit her.

"_But there is a catch, is that right?" _

"_Of course. A game isn't exciting unless the stake is high."_

And then he said...

"…_Your life, Mezhari-san…and mine. In a game of two, there can only be one winner."_

Then did that perhaps mean...

_He won't take my life for any other reason than for the result of this 'game' we're playing?_

"Is...that why he's putting up with my antics?" she wondered out loud. "...I sure don't get it...but looks like I better start taking this more seriously."

"Where's Itachi-san?" Kisame questioned as she got up from the picnic table.

"Escaped while I wasn't paying attention. I'm going to find him, now."

-

"Tired of being chased by your new fans?"

He glanced down at her from his perching position at the edge of the roof.

"Aren't you going to ask for your cloak back?"

The man stared back impassively, as if already expecting her to have more to say.

"I can't return it to you right now, anyway. I seem to have gotten it bloodied."

She cocked her head to one side, wondering if her suspicions were true.

"Itachi-san, don't I owe you dinner? I found a good place."

-

Voreka averted her eyes, pressing her lips against her fist of the elbow she placed on the table. It was the best she could do to prevent herself from wanting to laugh.

He was so out of place in here.

_Maybe I do have a death wish._

"Since I'm treating, I'll be upset if you don't finish it."

She coughed a few times to clear her throat. He probably didn't notice the strain of her voice anyway. The girls outside the cake house were so loud.

The missing-nin wasn't paying them any heed. In fact, he hadn't spared her a glance since she dragged him in here. Must have something to do with pride.

"Always been popular with the girls, haven't you?" Voreka noticed all the other customers inside were casting long glances their way. "But I can see why."

As expected, he didn't react to that.

"You actually set it up this way so teamwork won't suffer, didn't you?" she asked in amusement.

Yes, she was more or less stuck with asking questions all the time now, since you can't consider a question as saying a truth or a lie.

"Be careful, I might actually start liking you," she lied.

He let out one, barely audible laugh. She only noticed because she saw the motion from the corner of her eye.

"...Was that a threat...Mezhari-kun...?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Um..."

His smirk was visible, though his bangs were blocking his eyes.

"Though I suppose it would be unfortunate...to be liked by someone who fears men."

She flinched. He was...taunting her.

"Replace the 'fear' part with 'despise'." Voreka glared at him distrustfully.

"Heh."

In a rather unpredicted move, Itachi had thrust an elbow out on top of the table, propping up his head as he faced in her direction.

He was looking directly at her with his unblinking black eyes when he asked, "...You...have cured your fear of men, Mezhari-kun?"

She had been taken off guard by his sudden change in demeanor, and therefore didn't know what to say.

The Uchiha smirked artfully at her, bending over to say over her shoulder, "...Prove it to me."


	20. Looking back on

**A/N: **In reply, yes, I'm also keeping up with the manga. To be honest, my interest with naruto has died down, but I will complete this fanfic. Glad to see Itachi has so many fans…-cough-competition-cough-

As a side note for this chapter, I figured if Ino was able to channel chakra through her severed hair during the preliminary rounds of the Chuunin exam in her fight against Sakura, then something like this would be possible. I don't really like writing stuff aside from Itachi and Voreka's interactions myself, but I guess this is necessary for development.

* * *

**Chapter 20 - "Looking back on"**

* * *

The look he gave her then… It had by far outweighed all the death glares he had lavished upon her all day.

Her mind blanked out on her. She'd thought that she'd at least gotten used to his presence by now, but…

When the man was being indifferent, nothing she could do or say will elicit a reaction from him other than the occasional cold narrowing of his eyes.

But whenever his intense, long-lashed eyes bore into her directly, she was again reminded of Uchiha Itachi's overwhelming existence.

An existence greater than her own.

That expression just now… was on purpose, of course.

Still, she didn't think that Uchiha Itachi was capable of such an intriguing look.

Her voice caught a little at the beginning of her sentence.

"Prove it, you say? Surely Itachi-dono has not forgotten what happened the last time I had to provide that type of 'proof'." By _that_, she meant what she had dared in front of the hunter-nins sent after her by her clan, but she the hell won't elaborate more than she needed to.

He didn't even blink. The ambiguous smirk had frozen on his lips; a major source of her rising discomfort.

"Ehn… You don't _expect _me to repeat something like that?" Voreka asked with a strained, wry laugh and a tiny frown.

Okay, if she had been a little more composed, she would've known better than to word it that way. They were still in his game of playing by untruths. Thankfully Itachi, with only a knowing look, held his peace. And thankfully she was able to realize then that she was dangerously close to dancing to his tune.

'_So I'm…really that readable?' _the deadpan kunoichi wondered in her head.

"Heh."

She almost startled at his voice.

"…Given that you remember…" The Uchiha had lowered his eyes, but now he looked back up at her with a probing gaze more piercing than before. "…You have never seen me as a man?"

Voreka was about to make a quick reply, but the words stuck to the tip of her tongue. Either that, or her mouth seemed to have gone dry.

_Wait. How am I supposed to answer that question?_

If she were to claim that she had always seen him as a man, then she'd be implying that she did overcome her fear…and he'd be pressing for her to show him proof again, isn't that right?

But she'd rather not imagine what would happen if she somehow ends up offending him if she said otherwise.

…_I think he got me on this one._

Well, he was right. A normal, sensible girl perhaps wouldn't be regarding him with the same reckless nonchalance in her situation.

"Itachi-dono…what an absurd question..." With one finger, she tipped over her unfinished drink, sending it sprawling across the surface of the table before her. Naturally, a few large drops splattered onto her.

"Ah, excuse me. I should get these out before they stain."

_I am no match for him._

Oddly, she felt quite calm about it. At the corner of the street she glanced back and wondered if he was still inside the shop. Somewhere in the back of her mind she had always known that the reason she had never regarded him with that type of fear was because…

_He had never looked at me with anything besides distaste and malicious amusement. _

So sometime during the course of events, and due to difficult circumstances, she might've forced herself to stop viewing him as the same as other men.

But it seems he had known this all along.

Voreka ran a hand through her hair exasperatedly, unwinding the braids which were coming loose. "This isn't good."

"Hmm."

She tensed at the sound.

"Did you think it was safe to separate from your comrades in enemy territory?"

The target of their assassination was there, that close to her and she hadn't sensed him till he had spoken.

"What's wrong?" the feudal lord of the town asked, eyes gazing down lazily. "You really didn't expect to run into me alone?"

"N-no…I mean-…that's not exactly it but…"

What she meant was…she really didn't expect to see someone sitting, long legs crossed, in mid-air. But she knew better since the first encounter; even though she couldn't see it, the man must be supporting himself by his…hair.

She stepped back slightly, every fiber of her being on alert.

…_This guy's control of chakra must be meticulous._

He didn't say anything else, contenting to observe her in silence.

"You are a master of the _ghost stance_ taijutsu, aren't you?" Voreka asked conversationally, reaching up behind her neck to her senbon needles. Of course she would recognize it when she saw it; she had attempted the very same fighting style against Itachi in the desert.

Obviously, though, her one month of practice came nowhere near the expertise he conveyed, to be able to keep up his taijutsu at all times.

An appreciative smile lifted a corner of his mouth. "Don't worry. I won't waste time dealing with someone who can't even sense me." His eyelids fluttered. "_That man_, however…"

She flinched.

"His eyes…" she found herself asking, "…can see that much?"

Better than her eyes? Meaning he saw through her taijutsu at that time? And also…

"So you're worried?" the feudal lord observed, slipping down from his seating position. "Could it be that he doesn't know yet…?"

Voreka regarded him with a strained gaze. Yes, if he had such meticulous control over chakra, then he would also be able to sense that much.

"No, that isn't it," the tall man said, lowering to the ground. "The eyes of an Uchiha see not only chakra, my dear. They also detect _movement_."

She took one step back as he began to approach her, but it was as if her needles flew out from between her fingers by themselves.

"So don't bother," the feudal lord told her as he passed by. "You'll only be a hindrance."

A muscle twitched beneath her left eye.

"If you desire to escape, I'll give you this one opportunity."

But he was already gone by the time she looked back at the nighttime street, and only then did she allow her arms to start trembling on their own accord.

The feeling of cold fear was not unfamiliar to her.

_The reason why no one has managed to take his head…I think I understand._

* * *

"Why, Kisame-san, this must be just a _liiiittle _embarrassing for you."

She was in no particular hurry to let him down, though. Considering that the scowl on his face was implying that he was making a mental note to himself to kill her later.

"Why didn't he finish you off, I wonder?" Voreka pondered out loud. "Not that I'm disappointed or anything," she added unhurriedly.

"How would you like to shut up and give me a hand?" the shark man growled with a menacing look at her.

"But I'll need both hands to be ambidextrous," the green-haired kunoichi replied distractedly.

Judging by the look of things, it would seem that their chosen adversary had gotten Kisame to tangle himself in by swinging his huge sword at replacement clones. At least, that's one way to explain why the shark man was dangling in a mid-swing position with floating blocks of wood around him.

"At least we know that guy has a sense of humor."

"…I will kill you," he promised darkly.

Crouching down to his eye-level, she gave him a sweet smile.

"Hey, Kisame-san, did you know that these hairs are supported by chakra which manipulates the nervous system?" Her eyes glittered evilly. "That's not a lie. I felt their paralyzing effects firsthand at the brothel today. Moreover, given time, it may even get as bad as the enemy being able to control your movements."

"…You don't believe me, do you?" Voreka asked dryly when she didn't receive any significant reaction in response.

_Well, I guess I better figure this out before he decides to glare me to death._

She got up and reached out, trying to find the strands in the dark.

A jolt of pain shot down her arm. She flinched, finding the single strand of hair with her fingers.

_Just as I thought…_

It took a full minute of concentration, but she was successfully able to gathering enough chakra to the right intensity to a single point with two fingers. The strand broke with a snap as she passed the chakra-blade through it.

Controlling chakra was her forte, but even that still meant it took quite an effort on her part to repeat the process, finding each strand one by one.

"That man…what kind of opponent is he, really?"

"What?" said with a scowl meant to provoke, "You weren't informed?"

She quelled an urge to roll her eyes as he untangled himself the rest of the way. Obviously, none of them had bothered to tell her the details.

But, if what Kisame was saying was true, and their target was able to manipulate chakra to this degree…

"Well, I did my part," the green-haired kunoichi attempted in a dismissive tone.

He gave her a scowl which said 'And-where-are-you-thinking-of-going?'

She closed her eyes in slight irritation. Apparently, he wasn't going to let her off unless she outright explained it, and it wasn't something she should be proud of saying.

"According to my calculation, I will last about seven minutes against him in a face-to-face confrontation."

"Not that you care," Voreka added with forced nonchalance. Oh, agitating yes, but as a ninja she was expected to know her own limitations and to inform her teammates of such.

"So…" Kisame said with the same rigid and disoriented expression he always had when they talked about her. "Basically, you're afraid."

"…Think what you will." She won't admit it herself. "…So what will you do?"

"Ehhh? Aren't you underestimating Itachi?" he wanted to know, heaving his sword onto his shoulder, notwithstanding.

"Ho ho…" Voreka had to admit the shark man had complete confidence in his partner's abilities. "You are right, but…" She had been thinking it over; the reason why the Uchiha had paid special attention to the cooperation of their awkward three-person team, that is.

"You may not know it, Kisame-san," she informed him unhurriedly, "but just before the start of this mission, your partner Itachi had been dealt a grievous injury by the leader of your organization."

She knew about it only because she had seen him clutching his abdomen with a discomforted expression when he had taken her through the headquarters' cavern halls. The man had an incredible amount of willpower to hide it, though, as expected from a genjutsu user, and the incident had almost slipped her mind despite it being so recent. But the events from today had brought it back, including how he didn't make active effort in pursuing the feudal lord during the first encounter that morning. Yep, that's right, and not to mention him wasting his time with her whimsical challenges after that.

In short, Uchiha Itachi had been buying himself time.

"So what will you do, Kisame-san?" Voreka asked again.

He responded by swinging his oversized sword at her, a move she evaded by leaping up. It dove into and crushed the cement wall which had been behind her.

"You're coming with me."

"Thanks for asking me so nicely," she told him sarcastically, picking her steps on the loose rubble he created.

* * *

(To clarify, this is from the enemy's point of view.)

The feudal lord had encountered other Sharingan users previously in life. They were known throughout the shinobi world and reputed to be unmatched. He hadn't expected to meet one again.

The Uchiha was a splendid shinobi, but not at the height of his powers. He had already been given a handicap prior to the fight.

"Sorry," the feudal lord spoke in a voice which was anything but apologetic, "but those eyes of yours poses a problem for me. I need to deal with you, first." Having stated that, he grasped seemingly at seemingly nothing in front of him.

The red-eyed man's response was fast, as usual. No average level of fire summoning technique would be able to burn away his chakra-strengthened hair, but it hadn't seemed like the Uchiha was an average ninja.

Yes, the Uchiha would have realized by then that remaining on defense would cost him the battle. After all, given his condition and chakra usage, it wouldn't take that long before the maintaining of his Sharingan to become a real struggle.

The feudal lord knew that he had the advantage.

"Unfortunately, one reason why I survived so long is because I had allowed no one who had seen my true identity to live." The feudal lord smiled to himself. "I'm surprised at how good your information network must be. This is the end, though."

He lifted one finger and tugged.

"Ahh!" the kunoichi cried out as she was tripped from behind by one of his hairs.

"If you are trying to assess the boundary of my chakra's reach, I'm afraid I've already noticed you earlier."

So, she chose not to escape. He hadn't seen her as cowardly, but still…why would an Anomalous like her be working with those two? He thought she might not involve herself in battle, knowing _that._

"Why didn't you escape?" the feudal lord asked her directly. "You won't even be able to avoid my attacks." He gave her a bloodthirsty smile. "Or would you like to experience how it is like to be rendered into pieces by hair?"

"Um…no, you don't need to be so hospitable…" the pink-eyed girl replied. "Plus, it's not like I'm gullible enough to listen to someone who attempted the power of suggestion over me twice."

So she realized that earlier had been a farce. Commendable, how she was able to act like that when he could clearly sense her fear.

"An opening, please, Kisame-san."

No helping it; he was going to have to fight all three of them. But he was going to finish off the other two before the Uchiha recovers his strength.

"You're back for more?" the feudal lord asked Kisame, stopping his charge by winding strands of his hair around the tall, blue-skinned shinobi.

"You can put it that way." Kisame smirked.

An unpleasant feeling rippled through the feudal lord's body. His eyes searched for and found the source. The huge, bandaged sword of the one named Kisame seemed to be trying to drain his through the hairs.

"Futile..." Even as the feudal lord said this, he realized his own carelessness. Immediately, he sought out the presence of the kunoichi. "I see…"

The girl drew out her shuriken; the explosion tags stuck onto them went off as they struck the strands coming at her. It set off a fine cloud of dust and debris.

Even if it was a small amount, the increased flow of chakra now lacing his hair would be enough for her eyes to pick up.

"But it is not good enough…"

Her kunai was stopped deliberately one inch away from his neck. She responded to the insult with an angry "Tsch." She raised her other hand in the form of a seal. Yes, that might have been what she was planning from the start. From her distance of only one arms length away, her chance of success would be very high.

"I am aware you are also a genjutsu user." The feudal lord allowed himself an amused smirk. "That was why this location was selected."

She paused. Not letting her eyes stray from him, she frowned and asked, "Why?"

"This monument we are standing under," the feudal lord explained, "is still under construction. Of course, I have taken out the beams before the start of this fight."

Her grip had tightened on her kunai. It seemed that she understood the fact that he was now acting as the support of the huge blocks of granite overhead. He meant that the instant his support slackened would mean the probable end of all four of them.

The girl's expression turned into one of dubious askance. "Uhm…_normally_-…"

The feudal lord knew what she wanted to say. If they were only normal assassins sent after his life, then the sacrificing of lives was nothing if it meant the completion of their mission.

"But you are not normal assassins," he stated, dropping his voice to a smiling half-whisper. "…That man even chose to drive you away when he knew I was going for him."

Her crystalline pink eyes flinched slightly.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "Aren't you going to cast your genjutsu on me? Heh."

The girl was resisting but, like a puppet, he forced her to point her own weapon against herself.

"You would rather go down alone? Your hesitation will cost you."

She strained against the hold, the thin strands of hair biting into her skin. "Er, ANY TIME NOW, KISAME-SAN?"

The feudal lord frowned as he sensed Kisame forced away from the restraints set upon him by using sheer strength. He was able to perform the necessary seals that way.

What saved her was a thunderous, clashing wave of water formed by the shark man's ninjutsu. He didn't seem to care if the kunoichi went with it, though.

"This has become a bit troublesome." The feudal lord had elevated himself prior to impact, now seating with legs crossed high above water level. The entire place had been flooded by a good depth of water. It was no longer a domain completely under his control.

Kisame surfaced above the water, readying his sword over his shoulder. "Plan B."

* * *

Voreka coughed up water which managed to get into her throat.

Kisame was a jerk. He was only going according to plan, but that was the only way she could comfort herself. She wasn't particularly fond of being drenched.

The offensive role had been passed over to Kisame now. She took the chance to glance around for Itachi and spotted him standing above the water's surface at the base of one of the pillars holding the place up. She wondered if he was fine as he seemed, considering that he didn't seem interested in taking part in the fight.

"Tsch." With effort, Voreka got up to a stand on the water next to the pillar she had braced herself against.

It looked like Kisame's water sharks were being evaded by their target, and some of them crushed by hair before they reached.

_Then I'll just have to-…_

She started to gather chakra into her hand, but that was interrupted when she had to avoid the series of attacks coming her way. The hairs made ripples of red as they dove into water. Fortunately Kisame's next assault diverted the feudal lord's attention again.

_Ugh. Wish my explosive tags weren't soaked. _Voreka gathered chakra again into her hand, pressing it against the cracks in the pillar. She also gathered chakra in her other hand, but formed it into a fist which she used to strike the stone. Leaping aside, she watched it topple.

From the side, the feudal lord lost his balance momentarily, causing an opening for one of Kisame's attacks to hit him. It was the first hit, actually. The shark man, on the other hand, was sporting long, deep scratches on his skin, although she wasn't sure if those were the new ones.

But the battle was already decided at that point.

"So this is your weakness."

The feudal lord slanted a glance down at her.

"You can't control your hair well underwater. Therefore you're suspending yourself by weaving them around you and around the pillars, but doing that is severely limiting the reach of your offenses. So theoretically, this fight is over as soon as we take out the surrounding pillars, unless you can win by direct assaults."

For a minute, the feudal lord said nothing. Then he smirked. "I must say, your intelligence is pretty good." He lowered himself until his feet touched the surface of the water.

_Uh oh._

Voreka threw herself out of the way of his attack. She was gasping for breath. Her old weakness was catching up to her.

"Hey you!" she heard Kisame yell at him, obviously displeased that he was paying attention elsewhere.

She flinched painfully as an attack pierced her from behind. If she had reacted a bit later it might have gone through her heart. She had been too careless.

"…Th-that's an interesting replacement technique," Voreka commented despite being dragged painfully to the real feudal lord by the wound between her shoulder and heart. The clone which she had been facing disappeared, having served its purpose.

"It is a pity," the feudal lord replied, using his hair – now dyed red – to heave her up so that she was dangling in mid-air.

"Maybe I've been waiting for some guy to sweep me off my feet but-…this just isn't working for me." She had said that through her teeth because she was sure her voice would've cracked otherwise. Tears were prickling at the corners of her eyes.

"I would have liked to have kept you with me," he told her smoothly, much like how one would speak before delivering the finishing blow. "Yours is the beauty of a dying rose."

Maybe it was the touch of his fingers on her jaw, or maybe it was the paralyzing effect that was finally overtaken her system. She became so numb that she didn't realize what was happening until she was abruptly dropped.

It was Kisame's rough grip which pulled her out of the water.

"…I will take it from here," Uchiha Itachi's calm and collected voice informed them. "Kisame, take her away."

The shark man who was supporting her gave a grunt in agreement.

* * *

She vaguely recalled her half-conscious struggle when he tried to treat her wound. When she came to her senses again, he was still pressing down her upper body, one hand on her left arm and the other on her right shoulder, presumably to prevent her from thrashing about while unconscious.

It was dark. Her eyes began to adjust to the fall of dark hair from his silhouette over her.

"…Itachi-san?"

The pain and nausea hit her in a renewed wave. Voreka cringed, straining against his hold. The wound in her chest burned and itched at the same time. She eventually willed herself to calm down.

"…You can let go of me now…I'm not going to make it worse." She remembered in time that they still haven't reached a conclusion in their game of deceit and added, "Maybe."

At first, it didn't seem like he was going to move. Then, slowly, his grip slackened and he stood.

She let out a breath in relief, or more like a hiss, rather, making sure she was able to sit up.

"What did he mean by that…Mezhari-san?" Itachi's low, velvety voice formed a knot of tension in her chest. She could tell without looking that he was giving her one of those disapproving frowns.

"_Yours is the beauty of a dying rose."_

So he heard that… She got up to her feet slowly, feeling the weight of his gaze.

"I don't know… a final taunt?" Voreka suggested. She flinched, suddenly finding herself being forced to look up by his grasp on her hair.

"…How long?" That was all he asked, his voice cold and his dark eyes inches away.

She shut her eyes briefly, debating her reply.

"Don't worry," Voreka said finally, pulling her hair out of his hand. "I should be able to carry out your leader's plan without fail."

That was a lie…because she really didn't know. However, she needed to change the subject.

"But your efforts to shield me have made me happy so…"

She wondered if the accelerated pounding of her heart was making the painful pulsing worse. Drawing herself closer, she steeled herself, reaching up to touch him lightly at the base of his neck.

"Take this as a 'thank you' for accompanying me today."

The kunoichi pressed her lips against Itachi's, much like the first time this occurred. And as expected, he did not respond to her kiss in any way, but that was what she had been counting on. Yet, while she was possibly more aware of him as a man than the previous time, something else had changed.

_You…may not have noticed it yet…but I have a debt I owe to you._

He had flinched slightly when she drew back. The taste of blood seeped onto her tongue。

"Did you think I'd forgive you for beating me at every game?" Voreka taunted with a wry smirk. At the same time she was backing away nervously. He would be angry, no doubt.

The only reason she stopped was because she had backed right into Kisame's solid form.

"Kisame-san…you-…"

"I have been here all along," the shark man answered mechanically with a clearly dumbfounded expression.

_Wrong! Wrong!_


	21. All I left behind

**A/N:**Ugh…Sorry, turns out I can't explain some things in this chapter just yet…must wait a bit more. And as you will notice, I am going to stray from the Naruto story and timeline now. I have no intention of following all the same outcomes...

Lol, I wonder if I'm the only one who's starting to feel sorry for Itachi? Voreka is so…uncontrollable…I don't even know why. It makes me laugh, though.

* * *

**Chapter 21 – "All I left behind"**

* * *

If it were anyone else, the atmosphere would've been really awkward the following morning. But since it was Kisame – who more or less hated her – he wasn't about to let her live that down.

So, on top of enduring the smell of blood and the fever her body had worked up in effort to repair itself, there was the constant feeling that tall blue-haired man was scrutinizing her from the back.

She was feeling sick rather than anything else.

"…I'm glad to see you in good humor, Kisame-san, but can you please keep a little more distance behind me?"

"Ehhh?" It was obvious that he was enjoying this. "You mean Itachi-san is the only one you can go near to?"

…

The hell? Kisame had been at it the whole morning. He would no doubt stop if Itachi, who was in the lead, told him to. However, Itachi hadn't said anything yet.

"…Because you're carrying a dead person over your shoulder. It's uncanny."

Kisame let out an 'Hmph' in scorn. "You best get used to it."

Perhaps the shark man found it unusual that she didn't give a retort. "Hey-"

Whatever he was going to say, it was cut off by a small and sudden shift in atmosphere. Voreka turned to give a glance his way.

"What is it?" the green-haired kunoichi asked. Kisame had a scowl of irritation on his face. She tossed a glance at Itachi's back, and saw that he had slowed his steps.

_Oh, I see…_

"Then, I'll go on ahead," Voreka told them with a little wave as she left them behind.

* * *

"Girl!" he shouted up at the kunoichi lodged up in the tree's branches.

"…Whaaat?" she drawled back down at him.

Kisame scowled. It was one of the scarce trees in the area, but he'd have no qualms cutting it down. "We're moving out."

"Pfft," he heard her let out, but she made no complaints over it. Come to think of it, her level of mental endurance was probably higher than Hidan's or Deidara's.

"Just give me a moment," she told him after a pause.

The green-haired girl was doing a good job appearing unaffected, but her voice was strained. It had been easy tracking her down with his Samehada by following the trial of chakra she left behind.

This woman, and Itachi, too; they puzzled him to no end.

"…If you had already known how it would end up," Kisame asked flatly, somewhat annoyed, "Why didn't you escape when you had the chance?"

She shifted slightly so that she could glance sideways down at him. "I can't do that, Kisame-san," the girl replied with a wry smile. "…Did you forget that I am a _spy?_"

It should be easy to crush her in that state, but he had a feeling Itachi wouldn't approve.

"I was wondering where you get all that false courage from," Kisame remarked bluntly. "What was it about Kakuzu mentioning that creating a successful 'anomalous' has a failure rate of over eighty percent of the time?"

"Hoho…" the kunoichi let out a strained laugh in response. "Is that what you're hoping for? Or are you only angry that I've never made it clear to any of you – not that you've ever asked, Kisame-san."

He clenched his jaw, a motion which did not escape her eyes.

"There's no rule stating that we must volunteer sharing our secrets, is there?" she pointed out, letting herself drop carefully to ground level. It hadn't been a perfect landing, and she staggered a bit, one hand holding onto her chest.

"…But I should thank you," Voreka said once she caught her breath.

"Huh?" If he could blink, he would've blinked in surprise right then.

"…It must have taken a lot of chakra to close this wound, right? …Itachi-san couldn't have done it alone." She said that with a tiny, knowing smile which was more amused than thankful.

Kisame gave her his best frown. "Don't get ahead of yourself, now."

"Yes, yes," she cut in dismissively, waving a hand, "it's for the sake of the mission."

…

She really does get on his nerves.

"Hey!"

"There is a _name_," she answered dryly, but he ignored it.

"What is between you and Itachi?" Kisame demanded to know, his towering figure casting a long shadow over her.

"…Was that meant to be menacing…?" Voreka wondered out loud, eyeing his hand on the hilt of his sword behind his back. "It was a misunderstanding."

She caught his bandaged sword with both hands as he brought it down on her. "Whoa!" Fortunately for her, he hadn't used force. It had been meant as a threat.

"Well…" Voreka said, slipping out from under the sword's path. "If I had to tell you one thing…"

…

'_But you are not normal assassins…That man even chose to drive you away when he knew I was going for him.'_

She had paused before completing her sentence, shrugging one shoulder helplessly. "…I'd say I admire him for being a superior ninja."

"…" Kisame rewarded her with an incredulous expression. "That's it?"

"…Why are you so talkative today?" Voreka replied exasperatedly, feeling her forehead with a hand for signs of a headache. "Kisame-san, are we leaving or not?"

"Hmph." Either she was good at acting, or that she hadn't received the news yet.

Just how will things develop, once the girl finds out that Orochimaru, the patron of her mission as a spy on Akatsuki, is dead?

* * *

There had been a change. She didn't know whether it started last night or even before that, but being alone with the Uchiha had become an unbearable experience. It was marked by an inexplicable and suffocating sensation.

It was as if the man was seeing through her, even though she knew that his eyes hadn't been searching for her since that morning.

"…Do you regret not having gone on ahead?"

Itachi's question, spoken quietly next to her, had caused her to startle. Voreka hadn't expected to hear him speak, nor had she been prepared to exchange words with him so soon.

But he was wanted a reply, and she could feel it the instant his red Sharingan eyes glanced sidelong at her through his long lashes.

"…No," Voreka was forced to say. "…I just don't get the reason why we've split up."

Actually, despite Kisame's pestering, she would've preferred to have gone ahead with him. The problem was, since she made all that fuss about not wanting to be near a corpse earlier, she wouldn't be able to justify it if she hadn't chosen to remain behind.

"…Is that so?" the long-haired man asked, with an accent tilting up. Voreka saw the tinge of a smile on his profile. It hadn't been a good idea to look. The sight of the unpleasant mark she had left on his lips only heightened the tension building within her.

"…You didn't think I'll pay you back for that?"

Her reaction might have been just a little overboard even in her own eyes, but it took the greatest amount of effort for her to ease from her defensive pose.

As unpredictable as the man was, Itachi had never made move against her unless she had deliberately provoked him. Oddly enough, it seemed that she had never learned how to prevent her personality from clashing with his.

"Y-you want to fight? I'm still an invalid."

For a long moment his red eyes regarded her unblinkingly.

It could have been her fever at work, but she thought she heard a soft sigh escape him as he returned his attention to the path ahead.

"Oh my, such a _perfect_ shinobi…" Honestly, she didn't know why she couldn't refrain from doing that. Even if she held a grudge against Itachi, it was like she was asking to die. "It's really-…" she frowned, selecting her words "…-starting to piss me off."

"Hmph."

Voreka stepped back, cautious. In doing so she bumped her shoulder into something which hadn't been there a moment before.

…_Crap…when did he-!?_

The clone which she had been facing dispersed in a mass of dark shadows.

"Remember this," Itachi's silky voice brushed by her ear. Her left arm was held down by his iron grip when she attempted a move. "…Above being a 'perfect shinobi'," he said, tracing his fingers lightly over the fabric of her cloak, "…I am…_simply a man._"

It was as if she had lost touch with all the cells in her system.

'_Then, you have never seen me as a man?' _Itachi's words from the day before resounded in her mind.

He found what he was looking for. Voreka flinched when he reached inside her netted shirt and pulled out the Sound village's hunter-nin pass from the strap she wore under her breasts.

Under normal circumstances she would've been outraged at being violated, as well as demand to get her hunter-nin's pass back.

"Let-…go of me…" the green-haired girl gasped out. "I-…I think I'm going to be sick…"

* * *

She couldn't stop retching for what seemed to be forever. It hadn't been intentional, but the lack of oxygen experienced during that length of time when he had touched her was proving hazardous to her condition.

_How completely miserable…_

When the Uchiha had loosened his hold, she had distanced herself as far as she could. Still, she wasn't able to escape his presence as long as his incarnadine gaze could reach her.

_I'll die. At this rate, I'll die._

The arrogant, S-Class criminal who had had never acknowledged her as a kunoichi, telling her seriously that he was 'only a man', even if it hadn't been a truth…

It didn't help even when she clenched her fists so hard that her knuckles turned white.

_I am…shaking even now._

"Pffft… What is he talking about? Of course he's a man. I never said he wasn't! I mean, it's kinda obvious, isn't it-!?"

"…"

Kisame decided to turn a blind eye to the sight of the girl apparently making conversation with a rock.

"What happened to _her?_" the shark man asked, approaching the rest of the way to the resting Uchiha. "Did she finally give in to the heat?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment, and it seemed that he was smiling. "…Who knows?"

"…" That was a response Kisame had not been expecting. He glanced back over his shoulder before looking back down at Itachi, asking as a joke, "A lovers' quarrel, perhaps?" He spun and batted away with his Samehada the rock she threw at him. What unbelievable intuition. There was no way she could've heard his words all the way over from where she was.

"DO YOU WANT TO DIE!?" Kisame roared.

But the kunoichi wasn't even paying attention to him. Something in the direction where he rock had flown into the sky had caught her eye.

Itachi had risen to a stand. His eyes narrowed as he tried to focus on the details of the bird of prey which circled once in the air before gliding off the way it came. "…A scouter?"

"Itachi-san…"

His red eyes fixed authoritatively on Kisame in response. "Do not underestimate her."

"Yeah, I kinda figured," the shark man agreed grudgingly. "After all, with this guy…" He nudged the side of the dead feudal lord with the tip of his sword. "Even I can tell that she was able to figure out his attacks by recognizing his hand motions. The attacks that hit her are the ones when his back was turned to her."

With intelligence like that, they wouldn't be able to keep her in the dark for long. She will by no doubt betray her temporary teammates when the time comes.

Kisame looked up with a scowl. "Should we have alerted the leader about this? The girl's been around us long enough by now. If she decides to fight seriously…"

Once again he glanced down at the motionless body at his feet. "By the way, this isn't your usual work. You really roughed him up, didn't you? Although, shouldn't you be taking it easy, Itachi-san?"

"…" For a moment, it looked like Itachi was pondering this himself. Then, the man replied coldly, "That is none of your concern."

* * *

_That was a…scouter of the Lost Night village, _Voreka thought to herself. _But why is one here? _

Although it was true that not everything had gone according to plan, such as the fact that she still wasn't sure if her reunion with the two Akatsuki members had been purely a chance encounter or if it had been a betrayal by one of her fellow amazons, Voreka was sure she made it clear that she wanted no outside interference on her mission.

Could it be that something happened?

"Hey, you! How long do you intend to hold us up for!?" Kisame's angry voice cut through her confused thoughts.

"Oh, sorry." Voreka absent-mindedly got to her feet, noting an almost pained expression on Kisame's face.

"…Did you just _apologize?_"

"No." She almost kicked herself. "How much further ahead is it?"

They must have seen the scouter as well, for Kisame was wary enough not to answer her.

He distrusted her that much, and it was obvious.

"Will we get there by today?" she asked sweetly, receiving a scowl in reply.

_Pfft…_

Voreka extended a hand up at him. "Help me up."

Again there was that mildly aghast expression on Kisame's face.

_Hoho…this is funny._

She found herself unexpectedly yanked up to her feet by the sleeve of her cloak on the arm she held out.

Voreka's pink eyes glittered coldly at Itachi; his displeased face merely one hand-span away.

"…You're scaring me, Itachi-san," she told him sarcastically, snatching her hand back.

"…" Somehow they didn't seem like a happy couple. Kisame knew better than to get himself involved. He grunted in annoyance. "I will go on ahead. Don't make me have to backtrack again."

…

So, just the two of them again…

Voreka dusted herself off. "Where's my hunter-nin pass?" she demanded to know. "It's not like _you_ have any use for it."

For a long moment, Itachi only regarded her with a stoic countenance. It was a sinister smile which lifted one corner of his lips. He drew out the rectangular, dark alloy pass from within his sleeve. She would've thought that he'd destroyed it already.

His blood red eyes glinted cruelly as he lifted up and pressed the hunter-nin pass up to his partially bruised lips.

…

"Hmph." The Uchiha flicked the piece of alloy at her dismissively as he turned away. It should have been by all means an easy catch, but Voreka actually evaded it as if it were death itself.

_I-…I'll destroy it myself…_

* * *

Voreka grimaced. "So this is why you had him go on ahead?"

Then, the rumor that bounty robbers exist everywhere was true. It was just like Kisame to walk right into their trap. It looked like he'll require assistance from the outside.

"Then are we-…?"

She was silenced by Itachi's cold glare.

_Uhm…?_

"Stay still. Do not move an inch _even if you die_," his venomous voice commanded her.

_Tsch. _He did not say that out of concern for her safety, of course. Voreka sighed inwardly as he left her by herself. The man was way too observant. He must have already noticed it when he had switched from calling her 'Voreka' to 'Mezhari-san' all of a sudden. And that was right after when she first revealed her role as a spy for the Sound village.

…_This is why I didn't want him finding out about my condition._

"I just may die sooner than I think," Voreka muttered to herself as she conjured up a wind clone in her place. It will at least serve as a lookout for her, but if all else fails…

The kunoichi reached down for a senbon needle from the holster attached to her right leg. She pricked through a healing scratch on the back of her hand and then passed the needle to her clone.

Now… Time to see if she got any better with her stolen technique from the Leaf village.

* * *

The person who managed the bounty office was able to recognize her as soon as the lit candles shed light on her.

"You-…you are…how did you-…?"

She was taking her time looking around. It was dark, cool, and damp inside, in contrast to the stark sun out there. Unfortunately there was also the stench.

Actually, she was taking her time because performing the mind-body switch jutsu might have been too much in her current state. Her words sounded like as if someone else was speaking for her.

"It took a while getting past the guards," she admitted slowly, trying not to give away the fact that her mind was reeling. "…I am Loricha Mezhari." She focused her pink eyes on the shadowy figure across from her.

"How often does a hunter of the Hidden Mist's special hunter-nin force pass by here?" Voreka requested to know.

"Oh my, so that's what this is about?" the small man trod over to his shelf of scrolls on one wooden leg. He picked out one that looked to be newer than the rest, showing less yellow on its paper.

"Yes, yes," the man mused. "Lately, it seems they have not been accepting any jobs. Quite desperately, they have been here and many other locations, seeking information regarding the whereabouts of the only one who can carry on the lineage of their clan's head family."

Those words entered her mind like a sharp blade.

"Is that the truth?" Voreka asked in disbelief.

_But that would mean-…!_

…

A sudden wave of cold swept over her.

…_Shit. I thought I'd have more time._

Voreka slid her feet apart, facing the direction the sound of his sandals was coming from. "…I think you better step back, mister."

What a…bloodcurdling killing intent.

She must've really made him mad this time. She could tell, even though his fine features remained cold and expressionless as usual. A few drops of blood had splattered across his headband.

Such was the extent of his power. She felt that her knees would give out on her if she tried to move. No, she couldn't move if she tried. Her muscles had probably already locked up in fear.

When things came down to it, the prospect of dying didn't seem like a laughing matter.

"What are you-!?" the small man behind her was interrupted abruptly.

Voreka flinched as the chill brushed past her. She hadn't been able to keep up with his movements with her eyes.

"Do you intend to kill him?" Her voice sounded a pitch higher than normal. "That will only make it more suspicious."

The Uchiha had wanted her to remain put because her jutsus might be recognized by the hunter-nins searching for her. Well, they certainly wouldn't be careless enough to overlook the murder of a bounty office's manager.

The tomoes in his Sharingan were still rotating when he let go of the man, allowing him to fall to the ground. He was out cold.

…

"Mezhari-kun…"

Never had she heard her name being said with such intent.

Slowly, Itachi's sinister red gaze rose to meet hers. Those long-lashed eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"That is the…last time you'll make a fool of me."


	22. Still searching for

**A/N: **Uhm…wut? Is Itachi being jealous of Kisame!? KISAME!? Lol. U.u; Don't ask me, I don't know why either.

7 more chapters to go! Sorry if it's starting to seem like I'm rushing...just...excited...yeah...

* * *

**Chapter 22 – "Still searching for"**

* * *

_This is…the difference between him and I?_

She didn't want to believe it. At the very least, he should be overexerting himself by then. How come…while she was operating on the last of her strength, how is it that he could still fight like that!?

"Ugh-" Voreka covered her mouth as a spasm took hold of her chest. She wouldn't even be able to defend herself like this!

No…not like this… Losing here would be…absolutely unacceptable.

"Heh," the pink-eyed kunoichi scoffed, between huffs of breath. "What good is possessing an enormous amount of chakra…if using it means my death?" she asked herself out loud.

_I…didn't want to use this last resort but…_

Voreka sighed in defeat, straightening to her full height. She drew two fingers diagonally across her heart, meeting his red, watchful eyes with a small weary smile.

"…Shall I show you?"

_After all…an Anomalous is…_

"Hmph." It sounded like a mock laughter. Itachi blinked his long-lashed eyes open and returned his gaze on her. "…You think I will fall for that?"

Voreka felt her eyes twitch, but her initial surprise was not because of what he said. Whether he turned it off, or it switched off by itself, the man's Sharingan was no longer activated.

"…You intend to die right here?" he questioned her, his breath sounding a bit uneven. But his dark eyes no less intimidating without his Sharingan.

Could it be…even he had his limitations?

She didn't know if she was hesitating, and if so, for what reason. Surely, she will vanquish herself if she allowed the destructive chakra she had always needed to suppress to run freely. That was something she had always known, though.

"Why not…?" Voreka asked sweetly. "If you had any intention of allowing me to return to my clan…you wouldn't have gotten this mad, would you?"

She didn't quite understand what he had in mind. If he had only intended to follow the orders of his organization's leader to use her as leverage, then it shouldn't be considered a bad thing if the hunter-nins of her clan found her.

No, Itachi knew that she wouldn't simply obey them. She would rather die a true shinobi's death.

But…

_Impossible…_ Voreka had never thought that she'd be able to witness him appear to be in pain. The guy's willpower was tremendous.

_If it's he's in that way…_

"H-hey-!" The girl winced and reached out unthinkingly as he dropped down to one knee.

_So will it really be alright to take him down with me?_

"Wha-!"

She barely had enough time to register that he had grabbed hold of her outstretched wrist before it was wrenched painfully behind her back, one of his elbows pinning her shoulder face-down to the ground.

Itachi bent down and said next to her ear, _"_…_That's why I say_ _you're too soft_."

…

There was an impressive delay before her brain finally accepted what was happening.

_An-…__**AN ACT!?**_

"You-…!? No way-!" She didn't know which was more unbelievable; the fact that he actually pulled off something like that, or the fact that she actually fell for it.

Itachi let her struggle as much as she wanted, but she certainly wasn't a match for his strength.

_Damn it! I really need to get rid of this sense of guilt._

Voreka winced as he adjusted his grip on both her wrists to free one hand. She heard the sound of his hair rustling as he loosened his hair-tie.

He bound her wrists together, tight enough to cut off circulation.

She was coughing, dust having gotten into her throat during the struggle. There was that nauseating taste of blood at the back of her throat again. Nonetheless she asked through clenched teeth, "Do you really think that will st-"

Her vision swam abruptly as he pulled her up by the arm.

"…Shall I take your jutsu arm?" Itachi's soft, eerie whisper suggested. His breath brushed lightly against the skin on her neck.

She knew he was serious. He had complete control over the situation and he knew it. She didn't like the fact that he was pulling her arm so far back that she was forced to lean her upper back against him to support her weight.

To demonstrate his point, the hand on her captive arm tightened its hold painfully.

Voreka hissed in an unsteady breath. She would not be tamed that easily. No way. Although she might come to regret this.

"Hey, Itachi," she alerted him.

One end of the wooden desk was easily within reach of her legs. With the right angled kick at one of its wooden legs, it was a piece of cake getting the thing to swivel forward in his direction.

If he truly didn't want to raise any suspicion, then…

The black-haired missing-nin released her, as expected, in able to use both hands to intervene before the thing hit him.

Immediately she dropped to one knee, reaching behind one ankle to the blade she always kept there for a situation like this.

"Sorry, can't let Kisame-san see me like this," Voreka uttered between breaths. The bonds on her wrists snapped away as the blade sliced through them. She felt warmth surge back into her fingers as she rose up to face him on her feet.

"…Kisame?" the man inquired slowly. His Sharingan flared on as he lifted his eyes to meet hers. "You really don't think...you need to be more afraid of _me?_"

…

That was actually…quite intimidating…

Why. Just why did he have to take it _that _way?

"Urgh…" The muscles in the center of her chest contracted.

Voreka stepped back, clutching at the fabric of her cloak over her wound and knowing that she wouldn't be able to draw out chakra well enough to perform any type of jutsu at the moment.

"Stop, don't come…"

_Why!? _Had she really gone past her limit this time? _It's still too soon…much too soon!_

Itachi dodged her shuriken expertly, a futile attempt at stopping his advance.

_At times like this…_ Voreka thought despairingly, too painfully aware sound of the erratic beating of her heart in her ears. _I am scared. I am afraid._

_Why am I so alone…?_

_Someone…_ She flinched as she backed into the edge of a shelf. _Why isn't there anyone…?_

His hand was in the process of reaching for her when he paused in mid-action.

"ITACHI-SAN!" Kisame's voice was a booming echo in the dark cavern. "ARE YOU STILL IN HERE!? BECAUSE I SEEM TO HAVE LOST SIGHT OF-…Oh…"

…_Well, I did say 'anyone', but this is a bit…_

Voreka let out a laugh, which made its transition into a cough when it left her throat. Maybe some of her relief had shown on her face, because Itachi had that deep, murderous look in his eyes when he glanced back at her from the shark man.

Even if she wanted to stop, she couldn't. Her cough made a turn for the worse.

For the fourth time in her life she relived what horror it was to be hacking up blood from her lungs.

The kunoichi covered her mouth with one hand, her other arm outstretched to distance herself from the man before her.

_Oh my goddess, what a time to be displaying my weakness in front of the both of th-_

Itachi took a step forward, grabbing hold of the sleeve of her cloak – damn whoever designed those cloaks – while at it.

His lips met hers in a sudden and forceful kiss.

She quite literally choked on, and swallowed, her own blood.

Try as she might, Voreka couldn't get him to release his hold on the base of her neck, which was preventing her from breathing properly.

_What-…WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?_

She tried to pull back, but he was already pressing her against the shelf of scrolls as far as possible. His loosened hair trickled down the bare skin of her chest, and the faint but distinct scent of a male filled her senses.

The man only drew back when she again felt the familiar bitter-sweet taste of his blood on her tongue.

Voreka's breaths were coming out in short, ragged puffs which she could see. She could only let out a shriek when Itachi captured both her wrists and flipped her face-down, trapping her under the crook of one arm.

"No! Don't touch me! Damn you!"

She was still screaming, and kicking, when he dragged her past a flabbergasted Kisame.

"…He should be awake soon," Itachi was instructing Kisame. "You deal with it."

"And also…" the long, black-haired Uchiha turned back to add, "…pick up the shuriken, Kisame."

* * *

She awoke with a shock, finding her hands and knees in water. Her pale pink eyes looked up to see that she was on the edge of a large, blue lake.

"…You wanted to clean it off, am I right?"

Ugh. Just the mocking voice she didn't want to hear.

Voreka did her best to ignore him for the time being. He had been right about one thing; she hadn't intended to die just yet. There was something left to be resolved still. Although, admittedly, it had been tempting for her to bring out her final – albeit self-destructive – weapon.

Because Uchiha Itachi is an evil bastard. Why had she even had any doubts about that!?

"Die! Just die!" she swore at him without turning, huffing as she waded angrily further into the water.

Her wrists burned. Everywhere he had touched her had been enveloped in a feathering, numbing sensation.

_I am an idiot._

The flower hairpin fell from her hair while she bent down to splash water onto her face. She had forgotten about it, and was surprised to find that it was still with her.

After a long moment of consideration Voreka plucked it out of the lake, torn between wanting to snap it in half, throwing it back at Itachi with all her might, or stabbing herself with it.

She glanced back at the missing-nin.

Itachi was seated against a boulder at the edge of the lake, facing her. His eyes were shut, the high collars of his open cloak gently swayed with his loose, black hair.

Geez, he had the nerve to look to be at peace while the person before him might just attempt to kill him at any moment, eh?

_Ugh!_

Voreka gripped her cloak tightly, waiting until the spasm had resided. Even though she had already numbed the nerves connecting to her wound, the pain was still great.

Loosening the collar of her cloak, she slipped it down her shoulder to check on the bandaging. It was a tad discomforting, knowing that Itachi was the one who had fixed her up.

_Come to think of it… _She glanced over at his closed eyelids. _It couldn't be that…he hadn't gotten any rest at all last night because of me?_

Voreka had kept her stare directed at him until his dark, inactivated eyes opened to meet her stare, as if he had felt it all along.

But she couldn't ask him. It would be no use, anyway.

They were still bound in their game of only speaking in ways that were not complete truths. She had not forgotten.

She probably will never find out what his true intentions were.

While still holding her eyes, Itachi reached up a hand and touched the corner of his lips that was still bleeding. His eyes were clearly smirking even though she wasn't close enough to tell if a smirk was on his lips.

The two sides of her face burned at the humiliation.

_WHAT THE HELL!?_

_DAMN IT!_

_DAMN IT!_

* * *

"Damn! Don't come near me!"

The girl was going to scream her voice hoarse at this rate. Not that the shark man cared, but that pitch was really starting to grate on his nerves.

Kisame was actually starting to feel a bit sorry for Itachi, who wasn't even within twenty feet's range of her, but she kept backing up.

Both missing-nins knew better than to let the kunoichi out of their sight. However, she seemed to be insistent on making their navigation difficult.

"Itachi-san…" Kisame came up beside the shorter man, matching his stride. "It's dangerous for you to be expending so much energy. I will keep watch on her if you want to rest."

He was Itachi's partner, and possibly the only one other than their leader who can foretell when the Sharingan user was nearing his limit. "Besides, we're in_ its _territory, now."

In other words, they weren't exactly in the best of situations.

"…"

"You sure she'll die if I subdue her like before?" Kisame even bothered to ask.

"…No." Itachi watched the kunoichi as she backed into a low-hanging branch, and then trying to get her hair untangled from it. "That is the least that could happen."

Kisame noticed the man picking out the single strand of the girl's long, pastel-green hair as he passed the branch.

"She really is obvious," Itachi noted with a slight narrowing of his eyes.

_Are you really sure she did that on purpose? _Kisame wondered to himself, but didn't ask. It was simply too confusing to try to make sense of what was happening right now. He sure can't figure out what's with her reaction if she'd been the one who kissed Itachi first, in the dark hours of that same morning, that is.

"Hn?" His Samehada was responding to a signal from the east. The coast?

Itachi noticed his divergence in attention.

"Seems like we should be heading that way," Kisame explained. "That's going to be a problem, isn't it?"

The girl wasn't likely to come within ten feet of them, now. It had been at least easier when she had pretended to get along.

Surely even Itachi had an end to his patience.

"…" The black-haired shinobi looked to the coastline, noting the white chains of smoke which implied the situation of a coastal village. "No, she'll come."

Moderately raising his voice, Itachi addressed his words to the kunoichi without sparing a backward glance. "Come…you don't want to stop the villagers from getting killed?" He didn't even wait for a reaction. "Hmph."

"Say what!?" her voice shot back.

_Yep, _Kisame had to admit, _pretty obvious._

* * *

Uchiha Itachi was a curse she wished she never met.

To make things worse, he had been able to see through every single attempt of hers to break free from him. He was able to read through her like no one else had ever done before.

A truly frightening man.

"Hey, are you sure he'll be fine by himself?" It wasn't that she wanted to make conversation. Her body simply wouldn't stop trembling unless she could somehow take her mind off it.

Kisame had wanted to go alone. So that left just the two of them, again, to wait for him at the edge of the fishing village.

Itachi's silent, watchful stare turned to her, and she received the impression that he was displeased by something.

…_Was it-…was it something I said? _

Voreka threw up her arms to shield herself against the sudden gust of wind. It forced her to back up a step, breathing heavily. The sky had darkened rapidly, thunderclouds gathering overhead in quick succession.

Itachi was looking in the direction Kisame had gone, his hair and cloak bellowing around him.

What a terrible convergence of power.

The sea lapped restlessly against the rocks on shore. Fishing boats were hurriedly making their way back to dry land. The flurry which fell on her skin was a combination of saltwater and rain.

"Sorry," Voreka said, leaving his side. "I must find a better place to wait."

She got down from the seawall. Sand was getting into her eyes from the blasts of wind.

"Look out!" someone's voice screamed in midst of all the chaos. Voreka blinked her eyes and squinted in the direction of the sound.

A child, not even half her size, wailing as the large sign of the shop above her swung loose in the merciless squalls.

_Damn!_

Her arms wrapped around the girl just as she felt the wooden sign's impact against her ear and shoulder.

Oh yeah, that was smooth.

"Mama!" the child's shrill voice screamed next to her ear. The cry gave something in her chest a sharp twist. "Mama!"

_What? _Voreka looked back over her shoulder.

The child's mother was struggling to get over to where she was. The wires of the telephone pole overhead snapped under the pressure of the abnormal weather.

The kunoichi shot to her feet, but Itachi got ahead of her.

_What…_

With one powerful back-sidekick, he sent the pole toppling to the opposite direction.

Their eyes met briefly as he slowly turned back.

"Thank you!" the woman was saying to her, hugging her daughter tightly. "Thank you!"

Why did it hurt so much?

Voreka flinched when she realized that Itachi was making his way deliberately towards her. She retreated, panting, and becoming aware of the renewed pain in her arm and shoulder.

"D-don't come over here!"

That feeling. That ugly lump in her chest. That dynamic mixture of fear and something else she couldn't quite name. She couldn't stop that trembling whenever he drew nearer.

"Ah!" She hissed in a strained breath as he took hold of her arm, pulling it aside.

Itachi's face was an emotionless mask as he stared down at the spreading red gloss of blood on her wet cloak.

Her wound had reopened from the hit she took with the sign that fell. That explained the pain.

"No…don't touch me!" Voreka protested frantically as he forcefully and unexpectedly lifted her up with both arms. "Damn you!"

She was struggling at first, but pretty soon she gave up and focused on a bigger problem.

Her weakness. No, she definitely didn't want him to see. She covered her eyes with the hand which he wasn't holding down. She couldn't believe how great her fear had escalated.

That fear which had been implanted into her.

She absolutely did not want him to see her tears.

…

Voreka winced in pain when Itachi set her down. Her trembling fingers took hold of the collars of his cloak.

Whether she had been trying to pull him closer, or to push him away, she didn't know. There was only one thought on her mind as she spoke his name.

"Itachi…Itachi…" And she couldn't believe that she was pleading with him. "Itachi…let me return to my clan one last time."

_Sorry…I am weak as you said…_

_I don't want to die alone…_


	23. What I've yet to find

**A/N: **Hmm…will Voreka actually die? That's for you to find out. n.n The next chapter is where _everything_ will be revealed. Unless my incurable habit of going off on a tangent takes over again.

I agree with them loathing each other… They are so...I don't know...incompatible in a way. I feel I can't read Itachi's mind anymore...losing control of my own character :c

* * *

**Chapter 23 – "What I've yet to find"**

* * *

She should have known better than that. What kind of answer had she been expecting, anyway?

That…was simply how desperate she had been.

…

He smelled of rain and earth. Her grip on his cloak had brought him close enough for her to clearly see the droplets of water on his dark lashes. His still, unblinking eyes were as inscrutable and unfeeling as ever.

Voreka was aware of each heartbeat which pounded against her chest. If it wasn't an answer that she was waiting for, then what was it that was suffocating her?

The man finally spoke just as she felt like her arms were going to die. With one of those tiny, knowing smirks that she'd been seeing a lot lately.

"Show yourselves."

…_?_

"Heh. As expected of an S-rank criminal."

It was a female voice, a familiar voice. Voreka was surprised to hear it there.

But not as surprised to have found out that she had been unable to sense their presences.

"Hid-" Voreka snatched her hands away from Itachi, stumbling to her feet hastily. "Hideka-sensei…!?"

The figure of the tall, blonde Jounin of the Night village appeared at a short distance before her, a shorter, second form appearing next to the blonde.

Voreka recognized the other woman to be Renna, the Chuunin who was part of her squad during that mission where she had reencountered Itachi.

"How fortunate it is for us to encounter you by yourself."

_Wait…what is happening? _Voreka stepped away as Itachi lifted himself up slowly, deliberately.

_Is it an order? For an assassination? This soon?_

"Mezhari," her Jounin teacher's voice called out to her. "Orochimaru-sama is dead. There's no need to follow them anymore."

Voreka blinked in disbelief. Ah…why didn't she see that coming?

"You," this time Hideka's voice was addressed to the S-ranked missing-nin, "are you willing to let her go without a struggle?"

That had been what Voreka had wanted to know. Her neck felt stiff as she glanced over at him nervously. How will he answer it?

"…" What was he thinking? There even seemed to be a moment's pause before he acted.

She felt his long fingers brush her hair away from her ear as he came in front of her and leaned over her shoulder, asking her in his smooth and arrogant voice, "…What about you, Mezhari-kun? …Do you wish to leave me?"

Itachi had encircled one arm around her waist. The familiar, cold feeling of a kunai's blade pressed against her back.

…

She had to give it to him, for being able to see that far ahead.

Basically, he meant to show her that he _will_ kill her if she told the truth.

To prevent her arms from shaking too visibly, Voreka reached up, grasping the open collars of his cloak again. Her pink eyes gazed over his shoulder at the scandalized looks on her fellow amazons' faces.

She chose her words carefully, but she couldn't prevent herself from smiling at the irony.

"You see, Itachi, that is a problem because…" Voreka said loud enough for her voice to carry "…_I seem to have fallen for you._"

One time, that last time, when Hideka had come to find her in a similar situation, she had asked her sensei a question.

A question Hideka undoubtedly still remembered.

…

"_If I told you that, during the first stage of my exam, I fell in love with a former shinobi of the village…will you believe what I say?"_

…

The blonde Jounin of the Night unrolled the large, blank paper scroll she carried with a flick of her wrist. "Uchiha Itachi. Why don't you face me fairly? I will…have you pay for drawing Orochimaru-sama's attention to her."

Yes well…

If not for her fateful encounter with the two S-ranked missing-nins, then whose fault would it be that she was forced to become a spy on the Akatsuki?

But what Hideka was angry at was for another reason.

"I can't go back…"

Itachi let her twist herself away from his grasp. Voreka backed away, away from them all.

"There is no point…"

_He drew too much blood that time._

_My time is running out._

_Ugh- _

"Mezhari!" Hideka's voice commanded her, "Stop pushing yourself!"

The wound on her shoulder, Voreka felt it tearing again. She shut her eyes with a sigh in resignation.

Hate him. Don't hate him. Go back. Don't go back.

No…she already knew it shouldn't be anyone's blame. If anything, she could only curse her luck and her own ignorance for not knowing that the village of the Lost Night had been under Orochimaru – a man's – control.

…

They were actually going to fight. It was like they hadn't been paying any attention to what she had been saying.

Hundreds of white, two-dimensional paper birds were fluttering out from Hideka's scroll. Voreka knew that technique of hers. If an opponent gets tagged by one of those, then her shuriken won't miss.

"…Itachi."

She only said his name because he was the closest to her. He spared her a brief glance with his Sharingan.

And Voreka hated how it looked like that she was on his side when she intercepted Hideka's paper birds with a wind jutsu. If she couldn't control her own chakra well, then she could at least still summon by blood.

"…What are you doing, Mezhari-san?" Renna spoke snidely. "Are you actually defending that man?"

Voreka refrained from glaring. As if he actually needed her help. It was obvious that Renna either hated her, or was conspiring with the black-haired missing-nin as she'd previously thought.

"What if I am?" Why did she even need to ask?

Renna clicked free the hilt of her katana. "…Even though you know the law."

"Stay your hand, Renna." Hideka advanced a few steps. She faced her, and the man behind her, as if trying to discern something by sensing. "Mezhari, we're here to bring you back. Do you lack trust in our abilities?"

Voreka drew her gaze back at Itachi's watching eyes. Why, she wondered, was he always so silent at times like these? Come to think of it, he had been like that, too, every single time there were other people present. It was like he was simply waiting to see what she would do.

"Because, Hideka-sensei," the green-haired kunoichi turned and told her, "I owe you a lot, so I cannot lie to you. I knew the moment the rumor had spread that I had been in the company of two men for the duration of two weeks that I can no longer belong."

And just who had spread that rumor? Her pink eyes slid over to Renna, the kunoichi who had always hated her for being closer to Hideka than she was.

"…What are you saying, Mezhari?" Hideka sounded genuinely confused. "You despise men, but for a reason like that you will remain with him rather than returning to where you belong? Tsch." Her renewed anger directed itself at the Uchiha. "What…did you do…"

Voreka felt the start of a splitting headache as she heard Itachi roll up his sleeve to counter the first of Hideka's taijutsu.

She must have managed to accumulate an enormous amount of bad karma from her previous life if no one ever took her seriously when she was being serious.

"That's enough…" Voreka said tiredly just as both of them fell back after the first bout. "It's…all over. Don't treat me as a tool anymore. I…did not even wish to follow the shinobi path in the first place."

…

…But it had been for _her. _

It had all started from _her, w_hich was why Voreka, no matter what, wanted to return to her clan before her time was up.

Hideka, who was wiping off a line of blood from her jaw, stopped in mid-action and turned her head in her direction. She was probably experiencing difficulties believing her ears. It had been years, and they had been quite close.

"You misunderstand, Mezhari, I've nev-…" the blonde Jounin started to say.

Voreka steeled herself, knowing that she needed to sever all ties once and for all.

"No, I understand perfectly. You wouldn't have shown me your kindness if I were a man."

She couldn't look up. Though Voreka knew that Hideka's headband was pulled down over her eyes, she couldn't look up.

"It's true that I…despise men…but I…am not like you…" Her body was shaking even if she barely managed to keep her voice still. "I can…" she closed her eyes, a corner of her lips twitched at the way it sounded like a confession, "…still recognize a good man when I see one…"

…

It had been painful to say, of course. However, her teacher had always been able to recognize the truth when she heard it.

"I see… I see…"

"Hideka-sensei…" Renna appeared at Hideka's side. "Seems like she has broken the law, what should we do?"

"No." The Night Jounin placed a hand on the hilt of Renna's katana. After a long pause, she explained, "…She simply isn't one of us anymore."

Voreka reached to cover her mouth with a hand.

No, she had already decided. She wouldn't call out.

"Mezhari."

Voreka reached up and caught the small bundle in her hand.

"That medicine will help, but don't overexert yourself."

It was a heart-wrenching sense of loss which gripped her.

Hideka gave one last encouraging smile before the two amazons departed. "Have you chosen your own path…?"

…

_My own path? That's-…_

_Not possible._

_Not possible…_

"Don't think I meant anything by that," the kunoichi said as she stepped past Itachi. She'd rather have her back to him, unsure of what sort of emotions were surfacing on her face. It had been inevitable, for her to leave the amazons if she wanted to return to her clan.

"But," Voreka had to admit to him, "My feelings are a bit complicated." The 'bit' part was the greatest understatement she'd ever made.

If it hadn't been for him, then she'd simply pass the remainder of her days peacefully while being deceived by everyone. It would've been a bit longer, but she'd never have thought about returning home. She'd never have been able to-…

…_feel this pain._

Voreka clutched the front of her cloak, panting. It had gotten too quiet, aside from the faint sound of his breathing.

She blinked hard, regaining her resolve. "You're in a bad way, too, aren't you? Fight me."

Deciding that she'd better get rid of the damn sleeves first, Voreka pulled loose from her cloak, tossing it to one side.

"Fight me," she repeated, a bit louder. "Let's settle this."

If she had come so far…might as well go all the way.

"…" Itachi did not respond right away. It was as if he was waiting to see if she'd take it back. "The way you are, now… You think you can defeat me?" he asked slowly, coolly.

When she finally looked at him, Itachi's red eyes were fixed musingly on her. She did not give a reply.

"So you want to return that much…"

"…You find that laughable?" Voreka inquired suspiciously. She couldn't tell very well from across the distance. "What's wrong with wanting acceptance?"

Itachi closed his eyes briefly, reaching up to the collar of his cloak. He responded with an 'Hmph' and the tossing of his cloak to one side, as she had done.

She felt one eye twitch. Why had he removed his cloak as well? Solidarity?

A deep scratch ripped on her jaw as Voreka arched back to avoid his spinning back-kick. She braced her hands against the ground and flipped herself upright, breathing heavily.

He was serious. That meant she could only evade his attacks, for blocking them would be too costly.

The blade of his kunai swept dangerously close to her eyes as he blocked her kick to his side with his other arm.

"…Is that all you have?" Itachi's red eyes taunted her.

Voreka leapt back, gritting her teeth. Close combat was not going to work. She clasped her hands together, eyes narrowing in concentration. She could no longer afford to draw chakra from the two outermost chakra centers from the heart, but the other five she was willing to risk.

"Let's see you dodge this."

The kunoichi reached for her senbon needles, scattering them into the air on both sides. She ran her fingers through the formation of seals, needing to repeat some of them twice. Four wind clones appeared next to her, reaching up to grasp the senbon needles as they fell. It should have been five clones, but it looked like she was more depleted than she had thought.

Itachi kept still as she and her four clones encircled him on all sides. The first gesture he made was when they all leapt up into the air. It was also a cloning technique. Her eyes were able to register the one which leapt up to counter her as a clone.

She had expected a defense or an evasion but...he was trying to counter!? If he could hit her first, then her clones will disappear, but if he couldn't…

Voreka changed her own aim to the clone, throwing down the needles in an attempt to intercept.

His clone ducked, using the same momentum to execute flip-kick which she crossed her arms over her chest to block.

_Crap._

Her shoulder and arm hit the ground first, a reflexive action to lessen impact, but in her case there couldn't have been a worse way to land. She even saw spots of light at the corners of her vision.

Voreka propped herself up on her good arm, gasping. Not far from where she had landed, Itachi had fallen to one knee, his breathing coming quickly as he tore out the several senbon needles which he hadn't been able to avoid. So, he hadn't been faster than her clones, after all.

"What are you, suicidal too?" she hissed shakily. Damn it, that _hurt_!

…Something was seriously_ wrong _with this man. Shouldn't there be at least a limit to unpredictability!?

She heard him rise up and cringed inwardly. That was the end of the line for her. It wasn't even possible to feel the entire left side of her upper body.

He stopped before reaching her. Voreka forced herself to look up at his dark and apathetic eyes, which stared down, although strangely they seemed like he wasn't looking at her.

"If it's only that…" his light breath sounded out.

"If it's only that…" Itachi repeated in his low, velvety voice, sounding as if his thoughts were elsewhere.

"…If it's only-…what?" Voreka asked cuttingly.

That seemed to have snapped him out of whatever that was. His usual, slightly irritated frown greeted down at her.

"Hmph."

_Huh…?_

She was surprised when he decided to leave her be, just like that.

…

…_Sorry, I…don't get it at all._

* * *

"Something happened while I was gone, didn't it?" Kisame repeated himself a second time, with a scowl. He seemed more concerned with the fact that he missed some action than the state that his companions were in.

"Why are you looking like that?" the shark man had the courtesy to ask of her upon glancing down.

Voreka refrained from rolling her eyes. "I can't move," she breathed out.

…

She was pretty sure that Kisame dropped the motionless body next to her, just because he remembered that she felt being around corpses was uncanny.

Except the person wasn't dead yet. For the first time she personally witnessed the difference between a jinchuuriki and a so-called anomalous. While the jinchuuriki's chakra was working to heal the wounds even while its host was unconscious, hers would continuously spread any sizable wound unless she could control it.

Her control was wavering.

"Itachi." Since when did she start dropping the honorific to his name? Perhaps she was already beyond caring about her manners.

The long-haired man didn't glance her way. He had been silent ever since, sitting off to one side by himself. She was reminded of how he had been when she had first met him. It was like he had reverted back to his former self.

"An Anomalous is doomed to die." It was simply impossible for Itachi to not have figured that out by then.

"What is it?" Voreka asked between breaths. "A personal grudge against the Loricha clan? Access to the gene database? Forbidden jutsu? Information? Influence?" She ran out of air by that point, coughing.

"I'll give it to you!" she snapped. "I'll give it to you! But I don't have much time left!"

No reaction.

Voreka gripped the grass beneath her fingers. She had thought that she was too drained to feel anything, but the familiar sense of anger bubbled within her again.

She was so mad, she couldn't think. She was so mad, she couldn't _breathe_.

Why. Just why. Why. Why why _why _did she ever have to cross paths with this man!?

He was completely utterly_ incomprehensible._

"Shouldn't we be moving?" Kisame interrupted what he felt was an awkward silence. "My battle would have attracted some attention."

She saw Itachi close his eyes for a long moment before he got up.

Voreka drew out a kunai the same time his fingers closed around her hand, preventing her from using it against him.

Damn it.

She struggled to push him away. He was leaning over her, bracing himself with one hand next to her neck.

"Your…_life…_" Itachi's toneless voice spoke slowly down to her, "…give it to me."

* * *

…_What...?_

Voreka did not understand what he meant. It didn't help that she couldn't discern any emotion from his dark eyes.

"My…life…you say?"

There was no malice radiating from him, but she knew how quickly that could change.

"T-that's-…" a bit much to ask for, wasn't it? Did he mean to kill her?

"C-can we talk about this?" Her voice came out strained.

He was so close, the only warmth she felt on her cold skin. She was cold, shivering, and unsure if it was from the fear or the rain.

A bit, just a bit, a ghost of a smile appeared on his lips, a mocking gesture. "How foolish…"

She hated that voice…that voice tainted with arrogance which was impossible to tune out.

His steady gaze pinned her down, unmoving. "Chasing your whole life after a clan which abandoned you…"

…

Itachi…always knew exactly what to say. He did wonders to her self-esteem. If he thought that she was doing this for praise, however, he was greatly mistaken.

But she finally found it. She finally understood it then. The reason why, despite everything, _everything_, she was still unable to hate him with her whole heart.

It was simply because, every single time, there was always one person who he made her hate more than him.

…Herself.

…

Itachi forestalled her comeback by twisting the kunai out of her hand.

"What is your answer…?" he asked softly, coldly.

Bewilderment was the word. Answer? What was the question? Had he asked her a question?

"…What answer?"


	24. I love him

**A/N: **Haha...I lied, _unintentionally_, but forgive me; it was _extremely _difficult to pace this part of the story. I ended up dividing it, and this chapter turned out short. I'll make up for it with a fast update…

I assume everyone forgot who Waya is. There'll be a reminder next chapter I think (I just keep saying that don't I?).

**Hououza:** You've got good perception, as usual xD I wonder if you'll expect what's coming next… You're so good at picking up all the hints.

* * *

**Chapter 24 – "I love him"**

* * *

…_What answer? All he said was-…_

Voreka had the distinct feeling that she was missing something important.

…

For one, her question had been answered by a heavy silence.

Secondly, Itachi had shut his eyes in a way which somehow read to her as 'I will kill her if I have to look any longer'.

"You…" When he finally spoke again, he sounded a bit out of breath. His free hand had reached up to clasp her neck. She stared into his depthless eyes and was afraid even before he said the words.

"…how were they able to find us?"

_Crap._

Despite her effort, she was sure that he saw something show on her face.

A visible darkening of his eyes.

"I-…"

She had not seen it coming.

A troubled look flitted over his face for a split second. And then-

Uchiha Itachi fell forward, crushing her under his weight. The metal of his headband knocked against her chin.

…

_W-w-what!? NOW!? _

"Awww!" Kisame's voice drawled disapprovingly. "_Now_ he's done it."

_Damn it! That really hurts!_

She could hear his uneven breathing above the sound of her own heartbeat. Somehow it seemed like the pressure points she had hit with her needles were finally coming into effect. But why, why _NOW!?_

And Voreka was in no condition to the unconscious man off of her.

"…Help me here, Kisame-san?"

At least she tried. She already knew how much Kisame disliked her.

The shark man drove his Samehada into the earth, seating himself down heavily to its side.

"Hmph. Thanks to you, we ain't getting anywhere like this."

"You're welcome," the kunoichi shot back, trying to see if she could squeeze herself out. It wasn't working that well, with one of her arms unable to move. What? Was _she_ the one at fault, now?

"First, he got hurt while saving you from those hunter-nins of your own clan, and then we got in trouble for failing that whole mission which _you_ messed up, and then _again_ when we were going after the same scroll, which failure made him receive that wound from Leader. Moreover, he had to constantly waste energy to keep you in line." Those were the things which Kisame accused her of.

Voreka felt a muscle in her jaw twitch in anger. She retorted with sarcasm, almost choking from the effort. "Sorry, because I have _such_ a good reputation for behaving well after being abducted."

They exchanged glares.

"I don't get what he sees in you," Kisame growled. "You've been nothing but bad luck."

Hey, shouldn't that be _her_ line?

"So-…help me-…out and-…" _'-I'll go away before he comes to'_, but she didn't have the strength to complete the rest of her sentence. Her accelerated heartbeat was sending a sharp pulsing pain through her shoulder.

If Itachi had been conscious, he would surely be able hear the skipping of her heart. She had never been placed in such a difficult position before, and had never felt a fear that intense grip her soul.

_Shit! I give up. Even when he's unconscious. This bastard. Argh!_

The dim spots of light were prickling at the sides of her vision again.

"…My life…?" Voreka asked softly. She would have given it a laugh if she could afford to. "Useless. My life is-…"

"Ehhh just as I thought. You're really dense."

Voreka shot Kisame an exasperated look. "…Kisame-san, somehow I don't want to be told that by _you._"

"HEY!"

She returned his glare.

"So…" The kunoichi concentrated on leveling her breathing, moving locks of Itachi's long, straight hair out of the way. She wondered if he'd wake up if she pulled on it.

"…"Kisame looked incredulously at her. "…Do you _still_ not get it…?"

…

"Take what he said and put it into a question," the shark man told her with a grunt.

…Put what into a question? 'Give me your life'? _'Will you give me your life?'_

Ah…that…did sound kind of familiar. She should know this…

Between a feudal lord and his shinobi, that question meant loyalty.

Between a ninja and another teammate, that question meant trust.

But she could see herself as neither of those.

However, between an enemy and his prisoner…

'_Won't you give your life to me instead?'_

…Didn't that question mean betrayal? 'Life' is for the seriousness of the offence. 'Give me your life instead' is the promise for a better alternative.

It was a final question often exchanged between captor and captive before the answer would turn the prisoner into a traitor, or otherwise dead.

…

_I don't see how that's any better._

Kisame was still staring at her. "You…still don't get it, do you?" He scowled in exasperation. "It means he wants you to stay with him…!" Kisame second-guessed his own hypothesis "…or something like that."

The assumption was so alien that she didn't even waste effort being shocked. Voreka frowned. "…Please be serious."

Itachi? Having gone through all that to turn her into his follower? Pffft.

"Seriously! Get him off!"

It _hurts. _

Why did it hurt? Because she had always wanted there to be someone who needed her that much? That was not-

_Ugh-!_

"Whoa…" Kisame finally decided to lend her a hand, only when he saw that she was probably going to _die _if she continued exerting herself.

Gasping, the green-haired kunoichi curled up on her side, feeling the dark blanket of oblivion steal over her mind.

_Shit. Hurry up and find me._

* * *

"Heh heh…I say you've damaged your image this time, Itachi-san."

The Sharingan wielder was sitting up, supporting his forehead with one hand. He was still trying to gather all his bearings, a few beads of sweat collecting on his skin. The breath he let out was visible in the cold evening air.

"…How long was I out…" Itachi's frowning eyes slid over to the girl, who lay unconscious next to him.

"The sun is setting," Kisame pointed out.

Briefly, Itachi's eyes closed as he raised himself from the ground. His arm crossed over his midsection, where his still-healing wound was. The man seemed to be contemplating something.

"But, Itachi-san…" Kisame said as the raven-haired man stood up slowly, "…Shouldn't we carry out the mission as planned? You heard her; she will pretty much die soon."

"…" Itachi gazed down apathetically at the kunoichi's pale lips. Before, they had been a red shade of blood. Perhaps it was a sign of her failing vitality. "…No need."

"Eh?" Kisame inquired, causing the man's dark, steady gaze to trail over to him.

"Her clansmen should be arriving soon."

"…" It wasn't any of his business how Itachi meant to go about things, but Kisame thought his partner looked surprisingly calm about that. "What do you plan to do?"

For a moment Itachi's eyes lingered on the kunoichi's pained visage. Her fingers were clutching the long blades of grass underneath.

The long-haired man's murmur was quiet enough that Kisame suspect he heard wrong.

"…Sometimes…" Itachi's dark eyes narrowed ever so slightly "…it feels fine to make her utterly miserable."

* * *

Loricha Mezhari was nineteen years of age, which was quite a feat for one born an Anomalous. It was a blessing as well as a curse, to be able to harness an enormous amount of chakra within her body, at a cost of having low physical endurance. She could neither force strenuous exercise or the suppression of chakra for over a few minutes, as her vital organs were heavily reliant on her being able to control a steady outlet of chakra.

The very reason she was still alive was because her strength had been in controlling chakra. There were clans who practiced the incarnation of ancestors into newborns, and the Loricha was such a clan. If the ritual had been successful, there should be no concerns, but throughout the Loricha clan's long history there had only been two such successful incarnations.

She, too, was such a failure.

If her personality had been a bit less mild…and a tad more emotional…she might have gone over the limit long ago, like most of the other Anomalous'. She had never been too good at holding a grudge, nor had she ever been moved to tears if she were unwilling. Whether if she had been born that way, or if she had grown to be like that, she could no longer tell.

…

But Uchiha Itachi could, and did, challenge all that.

He was able to make her _feel_ like never before…

…and it will destroy her.

…

She…couldn't let that happen. There was the duty to her clan which she still had to complete. No matter what. She could not die before then.

Mezhari.

Yes, that was her name-…

"Mezhari-sama!"

She opened her pink eyes in slits, hissing softly at the rush of air pouring over her open wounds.

_Huh…that voice is-…_

"Is the medical team here!? Quickly!"

Voreka reached up slowly, grasping onto the arm supporting her shoulders. "You…"

His Ajna-gen was activated, and he stared down at her with the pink irises of the Loricha clan. His dark-brown hair was tied back, and he wore the nostalgic blue and white uniform of the Mist Village's special hunter-nin force.

Still, she wasn't sure, although she had happened to encounter her old classmate just one month back.

"Loricha Waya?"

For a brief moment relief showed in his eyes. The muscles in his jaw and neck turned stiff as he glanced ahead of him.

Oh right…

"This is the bounty promised for Mezhari-sama's safe return…" Waya said as another hunter-nin came forth, kneeling as she slid the suitcase over to the two Akatsuki members. Voreka saw that there were probably three squads of hunter-nins from her clan behind Waya, facing the two enemies on the other side.

"I understand you are reluctant," Waya, apparently acting as captain for the situation at hand, was addressing to the two missing-nins. "But please return her to her clan."

It took her a minute to remember why Waya was being so courteous to them. Last time they met, she had claimed Itachi to be her man.

"Right now, if she stays with you, she'll-"

How she managed to stand, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she wasn't happy with the way things were going.

"Mezhari-sama-…"

Voreka flinched as Waya steadied her with his arms.

_Shit! I-…I-…_

She breathed out slowly and met the unwavering gaze of Uchiha Itachi.

"Release me."

Waya seemed to know that she would go over to them. He was hesitating.

"Am I not your future leader?" She glanced at him wearily. Waya acknowledged her tone of authority and stepped back, signaling for the medical team to wait.

"My…mother…" Voreka said, looking to no one in particular. "Is she still alive?"

"Loricha-sama…" Waya answered slowly "…is well."

A small, perplexed frown knitted Voreka's brows. "Then why…"

It seemed that Waya was the only one who was willing to give her answers. He got down to one knee and apologized, "Forgive me…that is something you need to ask her yourself, Mezhari-sama."

_I see…_

Voreka turned to him, Uchiha Itachi. The man she had betrayed – if it could be called that – one final time.

_I see…_

She approached him, watching the way his eyes seemed to be seeing through her. Or maybe he for some reason was focusing on Loricha Waya instead.

"Itachi."

His dark eyes finally seemed to be seeing her, when she had stopped right before reaching him. For an instant, just one instant, his long dark lashes flickered as if he couldn't hold her stare.

They say that someone who knows that their time is near will not fear.

It was strange… It was then, the only time when Voreka felt absolutely no fear while facing him, that he seemed most _real_, more beautiful than she'd ever seen him.

She had to shut her eyes before speaking, breaking the long stretch of silence.

"We will never meet again. So take this as a truth or a lie."

Slowly, feeling an unexpected weight on her eyelids, Voreka opened her eyes again and met his unblinking gaze.

"This is my answer."

It didn't look like he was going to say anything. Itachi did not react in any way at all. She wondered if that was what she had been expecting.

"Because you _hurt_," Voreka found herself saying, perhaps unnecessarily. However, it wasn't that she was worried what her clansmen will think. At that point she was only aware of the two of them.

"…Because you confuse me," she went on, "Because I'm weak as you said. Because I thought I was fine living my life in cowardice until I met you." She had to shut her eyes again.

What the hell was wrong with her…?

It couldn't be that she was feeling _sad _to be leaving him, could it?

"And because…I am tired," Voreka breathed out. So tired. So drained. That must be the reason why her emotions were completely messed up. "…There is…one thing…left for me to do," she told him.

Why did she say that? Did she seriously expect him to understand? In fact, was she asking for forgiveness!?

_Hey…_

…_Say something._

_Frown at me. _

_Tell me I'm a fool._

_Where…is your anger?_

_You won't say anything at all?_

…

She smiled. Maybe it had been a sad smile.

So, he wasn't going to do anything to prevent her in the end.

That arrogant man... That forceful man… But Uchiha Itachi…was a good man, after all.

…_And looks like…I've misjudged him…and all this time…_

"…Thank you…"

She bowed her head, in an almost apologetic manner. That was the only way she could show her appreciation.

How ironic, for her to feel this lingering attachment to the very person she wanted – and needed – to escape from. Ever since the beginning, Itachi had been able to see through her. He had been the one who had forced her to face herself. Her weak and ugly self.

Yet she had not known him at all. He had…too many sides to him, which one was his real face? The one she had learned to fear; the one she had learned to admire; or the one she had learned to hate?

It was impossible to hate him, after all. It was impossible because he was still looking at her with that emotionless face, those expressionless eyes, that half-resigned posture which seemed to be asking her, 'Are you truly content with this?'

_Don't look at me like that…_

_You will make me feel guilt that shouldn't even exist…_

It was incredible, the way her pain didn't seem to be reaching her at that moment. She was able to look at him fully, something she never had the chance or will to do so before. The man was so sculpturesque, from the way his features were so perfect and well-defined, to the serene quality of air about him when he was silent. The missing-nin who managed to make such a big impact on her life; perhaps he might even be the last person she'll recall.

That healing mark she left on his lips, however…

Voreka combed her fingers through her long, pastel-green hair. She caught in her palm the flower hairpin as it loosened from her hair. For a moment she looked at it, remembering how daring she had been towards him that day in the artisan town. That was before she found out exactly how unpredictable Itachi could be.

She let the hair ornament drop from her hand into the grass. Shadows were gathering below her feet. The day was ending.

"Goodbye."

That was really all she needed to say, but somehow it had turned into all that. Funny, and here she thought that she wasn't a sentimental type. It had been much easier breaking off with the amazons, hadn't it?

Voreka turned from him, but she couldn't resist glancing back with one last sarcastic half-smile. "I…wonder if you'll be the only one who'll miss me when I'm gone."

_Something. Something. Something is wrong with me._

All that while, Itachi had neither moved nor taken his eyes off her. She heard him say to Kisame when she headed back to her clan members, his voice carrying despite his quiet voice, "…She…has made her choice..."

…

"Mezhari-sama." Waya's voice was laced with concern, and with good reason. She was unable to support herself any longer. The pain…

"Forgive me! If I hadn't taken so long gathering reinforcements after receiving your message…"

Waya still had the senbon needles with him. The hunter-nin showed them to her, all five of them.

Itachi's sole mistake was that he had not knocked her unconscious back in the bounty office. She was able to have her clone mark the direction they went.

Voreka breathed out a scoff. "…It hadn't been easy leaving a trail. He was watching my every move."

"It must have been hard on you, Mezhari-sama." Waya let go of her, making room for the medic team.

Strangely, she had paused to think about it. "No…" Voreka smiled to herself as she felt the wound at her shoulder tearing. Seething softly, she told him, "…It wasn't…entirely unpleasant…"

"Mezhari-sama!" she heard a chorus of voices call out as her consciousness started slipping.

"We need to perform the emergency jutsu, now!"


	25. I love him not

**A/N:** I hope you are all quick scene-adapters. lol…

I know remembering OCs are annoying, but I really dislike introducing OCs in the beginning without wrapping things up with them in the end. –wince-

**TaintedImpurity: **Yes, your guess is correct; Voreka had planned to be taken back. The part at the end of the previous chapter is to explain how she did it. Sorry for the confusion xD

Thank you for the encouragements!

* * *

**Chapter 25 – "I love him not"**

* * *

"By the way, what happened to the girl?"

Kisame scowled, because that was exactly the type of small-talk that Itachi never bothered answering, so it meant that he had to answer.

"Her clan paid a hefty sum to have her back."

"…Oh?" Their leader's keen eyes strayed to the form of Uchiha Itachi, who didn't pay any heed to the curious stares of the other Akatsuki members. "I thought you had some good vibes about her. What a heartless man."

"…"

Tobi feigned a cough, because the expectant silence was getting too heavy in there.

"No." Kisame waved one hand dismissively. "She wanted to go back on her own."

"…"

He wondered why he was getting the stares.

"…Whoa…what's with this awkward atmosphere?" Deidara wanted to know, glancing from one Akatsuki member to the other.

"That is surprising." Kakuzu did not elaborate. Deidara was the one conveniently positioned next to him this time round. The blonde kept staring at him with his unveiled eye.

"What?" Kakuzu stared back in askance.

"If you have a comment to make, at least back it up! …Yeah."

Kakuzu clucked his tongue in a sound of disapproval. The half-masked man then looked to their leader, Pain, as if looking for the man to affirm his words.

"Aren't the Lorichas the freaky clan that continuously tries to mix genes from other special bloodlines into theirs? I hear they perform a head surgery on newborns too, to separate the two halves of their brains and to create 'two minds' for more jutsu capability and for ambidexterity. That's just one example among many things. They are so twisted that even the Mizukage can't be bothered to deal with them unless it's a last resort."

"Which is why it is surprising that anyone would want to return to such a place," Kakuzu said after a pause for effect.

"Yes…" one of Zetsu's voices agreed. "All the clan heads of the Loricha's main family are said to be bred to be the most beautiful, the most powerful, and the cruelest."

* * *

It had been years ago, when she had knelt in that very same spot, before a bloody scene, when the head of the main family had driven her away with the price of a B-class criminal over her head.

"…I have returned, Mother."

Voreka raised her head and looked up to the woman who had raised her. The green-haired leader of the Loricha, she had not changed much. Her eyes were distant and analyzing as usual.

"It has been long, Mezhari," her mother greeted back from her high seat. "I hear you've been with the amazons of the Night village for quite some time."

Voreka curled a smile. "I thought you'd approve. Weren't you the one who taught me that I must become stronger than any man?"

Well…she certainly failed at that part.

Voreka sighed silently. She really didn't want to be reminded of the evening a few days past.

"Why did you call me back?"

The woman's light pink eyes slid over to both sides of the room, a gesture which dismissed the clansmen who lined them.

The head of the Loricha clan landed her pink eyes on Voreka when they were alone in the large, silent room.

"That incident six years ago, I trust you still remember it?"

Yes, that incident which triggered her leave from the Water Country.

"How can I forget?" Voreka asked wryly. "I must say the image comes back each time I manage to see a kitchen knife."

It was the incident which her biological father, a small feudal lord and retired shinobi at the time, had tried to kill her after having killed her younger brother, who resided with him as she did with her mother. It was because he had found out the truth behind the Loricha's ambitious traditions.

"Are you still peeved that I pushed the blame on you? …Would you rather I have let him kill you?" her mother asked leisurely. "A foolish man, to have tried to take down the main family with only a handful of Chuunin…but he came close."

Voreka glanced up warily, unsure of what she meant.

"I did not find out at first…" the older woman said. She, too, had been an Anomalous who had survived into her teens. It meant that she had her children young, and that she had not even started to show signs of aging.

"That incident had cost me, my daughter. Ah, my daughter." Her mother smiled then, and it was a mirthless smile. "I am no longer able to bear children."

* * *

"Bred to be beautiful, powerful, and cruel? That can't be right…" The gears in Kisame's head somehow weren't able to work around that. He seemed to have frozen into that puzzled expression.

"Yo, I think, you killed Kisame's brain," Deidara pointed out. "Uhn." His blue eye looked in Itachi's direction, to the other side of the shark man. If the Uchiha had felt his gaze, he ignored it.

The blonde then looked back to Zetsu. "But you say that as if they can set that before being born…uhn."

"That's exactly how it is," Zetsu replied. "The Loricha maintains an extensive library of genes, from normal ones to ones from bloodline limits. They are one of those clans who'll do anything to its own members in able to create the ultimate weapon from a living person, with the main family at its pinnacle."

"Now that takes me back…" the other personality of Zetsu said nostalgically.

Deidara made a disturbed face.

"It takes a lot of guts to head a twisted clan like that," Zetsu noted.

* * *

"I'll step down," she said, "I'll turn the clan over to you. I've already taken care of your status as a criminal." Her mother leaned forward a bit, just a bit closer. "Only show me how strong you've become, Mezhari."

It was without warning that Voreka needed to catch the sheathed katana which was flung to her.

A katana? She wasn't even adept in using such a weapon.

"What do you expect me to…?"

"A member of a branch family who dared to attack a member of the main family…" Her mother's demeanor was colder than before. "…Cannot be allowed to live."

* * *

"So why not just kill them all!?" Hidan's bored voice drawled loudly. "That's stupid! _Someone _must have tried rebelling at some stage!" He gave his shoulders a stretch, trying to work out the kinks in them for having to stand still for so long.

"Awww! This is boring! Come wake me up when we get our new assignments," Hidan told his partner, Kakuzu, as he hopped down from his boulder.

"Tsch."

"They probably do…" Zetsu answered when Hidan had already left. "And constantly…especially with the young ninja nowadays, getting all sorts of ideas from everywhere. But, the problem with an old, high-profile clan like that is…who else will accept them?"

"…"

Itachi did not acknowledge Kisame's obvious glance.

* * *

"So you've finally returned, Mezhari-_sama_."

They were in a large room, an enclosed space, but if it was her…then no place was large enough to accommodate the both of them.

"To think that we'll meet like this, Atari…"

The blonde lifted herself up from the wooden floor. She didn't look injured in any way, but there was something…something was off.

"Hey, Mezhari, have you…learned to use genjutsu counter yet?" Atari asked of her.

Fearsome. That mirror-shuriken technique of Atari's had always been truly fearsome.

Voreka unsheathed the katana, reflecting the ray of light which was redirected at her from one of the mirror-shuriken Atari had lodged in place once she began moving.

"Ha!" the other kunoichi rematerialized, landing back on her feet. "Is that why she gave you a katana?" Atari flicked another batch of mirror-shuriken. It was harder that time, because Atari's precision had always been immaculate.

Voreka only had a few seconds to register the locations of the new shuriken before she took a step back and placed the katana across her shoulder. Atari slipped off the wooden wall, flipping herself to land on her feet.

"You've gotten…slower…" Voreka said tonelessly. "Did she drug you?"

"Heh." Atari seemed to have dropped her façade upon hearing that. She was breathing heavily. "I can still kill you."

Voreka did not doubt that. She didn't know how far she could push herself, as her wounds might still reopen. "…When did you come to hate me this much, Atari-chan?"

It didn't look like Atari wanted to chat. Voreka tossed the katana to one side.

"Then fight me, like before, just like a spar. Like when we were still the best of friends."

She didn't need to ask twice.

"…I did like you as a friend," Atari said as their kicks crossed. "You were such a cute kid. So unlike what was expected of someone who was to inherit the Loricha clan. Such a nice and pathetic girl."

Atari's elbow caught her in the side. Voreka dropped and tumbled aside from the blonde's wood-splitting punch.

"Sorry…"

Atari's peacock blue eyes blinked up at her.

"I'm sorry…" Voreka repeated in a low voice. "If…I had only been stronger…" She got up, feeling the bruise which Atari's blow had left. "You wouldn't have needed to have gone through this…"

A look of scorn took hold of Atari's face. "What are you saying, now of all times? I don't need any pity from _you._" Her punch was caught, and she freed herself with an uppercut before her opponent could twist her arm.

Voreka did not waste words. "I will get you out of here. I will get you out of here, so, follow me."

That made Atari halt in mid-action. She laughed, her shoulders relaxing visibly. It was like she had found that completely amusing.

"You…Mezhari? You, who had always sought importance in the clan…I never thought I'd hear something like that from you."

Her blue eyes were deeply disturbed when she looked up. "Stupid. Stupid. _Why _did you return?"

Voreka pursed her lips, unable to answer.

Atari stared at her for a moment longer, easing from her aggressive stance. She looked tired, defeated, and a tad regretful.

"I hated you." That was what Atari admitted, her eyes drooping wearily. "Although…for that short period of time we were friends…it was nice."

Voreka felt a dark, foreboding feeling rising in her chest.

"But when I saw that you…so desperately wanting Loricha-sama's approval…so vigilantly pushing yourself for only that reason…I…" Atari stepped back, lifting her chin "realized how futile our future is."

"…Atari?" Voreka asked in concern, sensing that something was seriously wrong.

"So I decided…that no matter what…I will rid our clan of such a weak future leader."

Her heartbeat drummed in her ears. Voreka felt a chill spike through her.

"But while they imprisoned me here, I have been wondering, Mezhari." Atari took another step back, distancing herself further. "We weren't the only ones suffering, were we? Nonetheless…we never thought about _your _feelings. I…wonder if things would have turned out differently…if I hadn't pushed you away back then."

She had forgotten about that. The katana. Atari stepped on the hilt, catching it with one hand as it flipped in the air.

"Mezhari-sama…" the blonde chose a sad but sincere smile "…a member of a branch family who dared to attack a member of the main family…will not be allowed to live."

Voreka barely had the time to gasp in realization.

"Have you…become strong…Mezhari…"

The blood splattered, dripped, and pooled on the wooden surfaces…but was unable to reach her.

Her knees gave out under her, and Voreka slumped down, unable to move her eyes away.

No…

Atari…

Why is it like this…?

* * *

"Too bad, it would have been at least interesting to look into their gene database," Pain was saying.

"Even if we kept her," Kisame grumbled, "she would've died pretty soon anyway. An Anomalous has a short lifespan, right?" He was asking Zetsu.

"Is-is that so?" Deidara inquired with one widened eye.

"Yeah…but…" "Don't you think it's weird?" "Of course, how are they able to pass on through generations if all members of the main Loricha family line are Anomalous'?" The split image of Zetsu was debating with himself.

"That is simple…" the more knowledgeable persona declared. "At some point a few of them will have to stop being Anomalous'. Though I've only heard rumors on how that is done in the Loricha clan."

"Wait, wait," Tobi signaled a timeout. "_All_ the members of the main family were Anomalous'!? What!?"

* * *

She blinked her eyes slowly, but the image would not fade. She had seen people killed before. She had even killed with her own hands.

But it would not fade.

Too much. That's enough. She was already worn out.

"So you have gotten stronger."

Strength? What was the true meaning of that word?

Why…

'…_You are weak.'_

Voreka clenched the fabric of her tunic. Perhaps, what she was about to do, was no less cowardly than the way she had always been running away from her problems, as before.

Loricha Waya was the only one with them. He had been the one sent to retrieve her from Atari's room. But she knew. She knew from the way his concerned, pink eyes were constantly on her that he, like Atari had been, wanted freedom from the clan's chains.

It was then or never.

Voreka laid both hands on the floor before her and bent down in a low bow. "Actually…Mother…" she said slowly "…the sole reason I have returned…is to inform you that…" She closed her eyes, feeling an incredible amount of pressure trying to get the remainder of her sentence out.

"…the line of the Loricha's main family…shall end with me."

* * *

"Sigh…" Zetsu's venus flytrap closed slightly around him. "Well, technically, not all were Anomalous'," he said. "Only the female members of the Loricha's head family are born that way, but it'll take a while to explain."

Apparently they were waiting for him to continue.

"Oh come on, you gonna tell them or should I?" his other persona nagged. "Fine, just shut up."

"This is probably only a rumor, because it would be a well-guarded secret if it were indeed the truth."

"The Lorichas, it is said, originally had only a single bloodline limit, which were their eyes, the Ajna-gen, or more widely known as the 'Second Sight Third Eye'. They were no more special in detecting chakra than any other special bloodline eyes, except that theirs can also see…spirits in their true form."

"Anyway," his alter personality cut in, "maybe that particularly powerful and deadly spirit they had made a pact with was female. The 'spirit' or whatever will only get continuously passed down through the line of daughters until one is able to accommodate the sheer volume of destructive chakra. For that reason the Lorichas are constantly trying to 'breed' a perfect body that will satisfy their so-called great ancestor of their clan."

"But...what did you say about some of them being able to stop being an Anomalous, hn?" Deidara asked with an arched brow.

"..." Zetsu stared at the blonde. "...Do you really not get it yet?"

* * *

Really, her mother could look at least a bit surprised. Waya, on the other hand, she could tell was taken aback.

"So," the current Loricha's leader spoke coolly, "you want to be free of this clan, Mezhari?"

Voreka felt the muscles in her cheek ache from the anxiety. She didn't like where this was going.

"That can be done." Her mother's hard, piercing eyes stared down at her. "All you have to do is…give me a daughter, your daughter, to replace you by, Loricha Mezhari."

…

She forced herself to loosen her tense muscles.

Geez, really. Her mother cared nothing for her at all.

"Did you know, Waya-kun," the older woman spoke to the dark-haired hunter-nin next to her, "Mezhari-kun was only seven years of age when I implanted the fear of men into her being."

Of course he wouldn't know. That had been a secret.

"It was to keep her away from unworthy men," her mother told him, as if answering his unspoken question. "As the future heiress to the clan, her life is not her own."

Voreka refused to look up and meet her eyes.

"But you, Loricha Waya…she had known you before that point. That is why…her fear for you will be less intense. Fuu…" She actually let out a low laugh.

So…that was the reason why he alone had been summoned to wait on them?

"I know…" the shrewd woman went on "…you've always been watching her, but my Mezhari is that oblivious."

"Loricha-sama!" He kept his outward composure, but his voice sounded strained.

…What?

"So, Loricha Waya." Her mother appraised him with her pink gaze. "Where does your loyalty lie? With Mezhari or with me?"

Wait a minute... What she's asking-…what she's asking him is-…

"You know that Mezhari's time will run out soon, and if she doesn't give birth to a daughter…"

Voreka shot to her feet, without good purpose, but she couldn't just sit and bear with it no longer. Her blood was boiling under her skin. However, she slowly sank back down to her kneeling position.

Damn it, overreacting was not going to help her in this situation.

"Mother…" Voreka was unable to sieve out all the irritation from her voice. "About that…"

"What's wrong?" the woman propped one elbow to the side of her seat, drumming her long fingers against the wood. "Haven't you…already had one lover, from what I hear?"

Ah…but that had been a lie she had told that time, to Waya and Atari. A lie which Uchiha Itachi had went along with.

"But to think that you two would meet again under such circumstances…your fates must be pretty strong."

Hah…

Voreka glanced up inquisitively. But how did her mother know about-…

"What did you mean by that… Mother?"

"Fuu…" the green-haired woman before her let out that characteristic dry laugh of hers again.

"It can't be… You really don't remember?"

* * *

"…Eh, I was under the impression that she was going to die for certain." Kisame gave a side glance to his silent partner. "What about you, Itachi-san?"

It was too dark to try to discern what the raven-haired man was thinking.

"I guess it ain't any of our business anymore," Kisame said, shrugging one shoulder. "But I can't help getting the feeling that we've been fooled."

"…"

"The 'Anomalous' part of her will get passed down to her daughter, huh?" the shark man was saying to himself. "That _is _somewhat disturbing; living your whole life as part of some crude experiment to create a 'perfect' body."

* * *

"So you don't remember at all?" her mother asked with faint amusement. "You have met him once, the young prodigy of the Uchiha clan. I suppose it's been too long ago."

…

"Is this…Uchiha Itachi you are talking about?" Voreka asked skeptically. She really didn't remember anything of the sort.

"The Autumn Festival of your seventh year. Recall anything, now?"

She arched one eyebrow. Her mother was messing with her. That was so obvious.

Because when she had asked him – back in the feudal lord's town – if he had ever attended a festival before, Itachi had answered 'yes.' However, that had to have been a lie, according to the rules of his 'game'.

Voreka breathed an exasperated sigh. "Please don't resort to using tricks like these…Mother."

"Fuuu…" The woman tilted her head, gazing down at her daughter with something resembling sympathy. "That's strange…and here I thought your affinity for long dark-haired boys came from him. Isn't that why you were drawn to that boy, Haku?"

No…definitely not.

Voreka shook her head at the inconceivable notion.

"…When I was seven, you say…?" Quite a nice age she picked, because Voreka couldn't recall everyone she'd known from those pre-teen years, but that age her mother chose to use was also the age when she had implanted the fear of men into her blood.

A mirthless smile lifted both corners of the Loricha clan's leader's lips. As if the woman had read her thoughts, her mother forestalled, "It was to keep you away from becoming intimate with other males; such attachments would have been troublesome."

Voreka couldn't quite follow what the woman was saying.

"I suppose I never mentioned this to you," her mother told her unapologetically. "For a short while, you were betrothed to Uchiha Itachi."

"But that was before I had it confirmed that the Uchiha clan's Sharingan will only manifest itself in males."

* * *

"Where are you going, Deidara?"

The blonde missing-nin glanced back sheepishly.

"Well…er…you know…yeah." He averted his uncovered eye to a spot on the cavern ceiling, avoiding the knowing gazes of the other Akatsuki members.

"I said that's not it!" Deidara snapped in Kisame's direction. Kisame stared back in confusion.

"Might as well let him go, Pain," Konan, who rarely spoke at all, sounded out. "If that girl lives, then she still knows the location of our hideout…"

"…He will die if he goes by himself," Zetsu observed, but Deidara had already taken to air.

"Sennnnpaiiii! Waiiit for meee!" Tobi yelled helplessly after the blonde, having gotten left behind, as usual. He coughed from the cloud of dust which had risen. "…Awww…not _again_…!"

…

"Are you really alright with this, Itachi-san?" Kisame asked the shorter man next to him.

The black-haired Sharingan wielder had not moved an inch.

"…You won't care if Deidara's the one who'll bring her back?"

"…" Itachi's eyes were still fixated in the way Deidara had gone, but that was all there was to show.

Kisame smirked – at least, it was considered a smirk by his standards. "My, my. What a cold man, after all. I would have thought you liked her, if only a little bit."

…

"…Like?" his voice was soft and sinister, and it startled Kisame to hear him speak for the first time in three days – ever since 'then'. "…Or hate?" Itachi continued, his red eyes narrowing with silent, murderous intent, still looking in the direction Deidara had left in.

"Which is it…? I'm-…starting to think it's fine if someone gets killed."


	26. I love her

**A/N:** Not sure if the Sharingan is male only but lol…let's pretend till this story's over.

**Emo:** Weeeell I'm extremely close to completing one entire fanfic in my life (LOL after how many years?). Regarding Voreka's mother…their women-central clan must be headed by females (argh, tell me I didn't forget to specifically mention this u.u) so in that case their focus wouldn't be on how strong their sons are. And actually, I had a SakuraxItachi idea off the top of my head, but I really don't think I can write for Itachi again…seriously…

I'm starting to get why people don't like OCs…argh so much background info… makes me regret having emphasized so much on her past in the early chapters…now I have to follow up on it.

* * *

**Chapter 26 – "I love her"**

* * *

"…I …I don't-…"

'I don't believe you'? That sounded like something too childish to say.

Voreka clenched the folds of her tunic on her lap, contemplating. Finally, she breathed out a sigh of defeat.

…

"…What did you offer them in return, Mother?"

"Allegiance, of course. And the sons."

Of course. The sons. Of course.

"I suppose it wouldn't have worked out either way," the woman added as an afterthought. "That boy wiped out his entire clan, didn't he? Says a lot on what his loyalty will be towards his kin."

Looked like they were talking about the same Uchiha Itachi.

But what was this-?

The missing-nin apparently had no recollection of them having met once at an Autumn's Festival either.

Well…unless…

Unless…

…

_I was the only one who took that little 'game' of his seriously all along!?_

"Mezhari-sama!" Waya sounded alarmed, half-turned and was about to send for a medic-nin waiting outside. He had remained so motionless before that, she had almost forgotten that he was still there.

"No…I'm…fine, I was just…"

_So mad. _

_Evil bastard._

That _would_ explain some things. Like why Uchiha Itachi had been particularly scathing towards her background since the beginning. So he had known who she was all along!?

Voreka gritted her teeth. "…Argh…"

Already disinterested with the chatting, her mother rose from her seat, with the hem of her long robes pooling at her feet. "Come find me when you have thought it through carefully, Loricha Mezhari." She glanced down at Waya.

"Loricha Waya."

"Yes…" the hunter-nin answered.

"Make sure she doesn't do anything unnecessary."

He inclined his head in acknowledgement. "…Understood."

* * *

"…By the way, Deidara-senpai…" Tobi wondered if the guy could hear him at the speed which they were travelling at. "…Do you even know where the Loricha clan is?"

The blonde tossed him an irritated look over his shoulder, his hair billowing across his face.

Tobi flailed his arms in front of himself hastily, almost losing his balance in the process.

"No, no! I didn't mean anything! AHHHH!!" Tobi screamed loudly as Deidara put them through a mad coil in mid-flight, in an attempt to throw him off. He hung on for dear life. "I'll be good! I'll be good!"

But that routinely-spoken promise of his rarely lasted for longer than a minute.

"However, Deidara-senpai," Tobi spoke again, "why are you so agitated? You've only known her for, what, a day?"

Deidara made a displeased sound. His sharp, blue eye glared back. "Because I _hate _that unfeeling bastard!"

"…Ouch." Tobi drew back cautiously, just in case. "But, Senpai, that doesn't mean that she'll choose you instead-…I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!" He struggled as Deidara tried to kick him off.

"Shut up! Why are you coming with me anyway, Un!?"

Tobi breathed a sigh of relief as Deidara gave up his attempt.

"I know where it is."

"Hn?" the blonde glanced back in askance, having not heard the first time.

"I SAID-" Tobi tried to yell louder just as Deidara decided to have them soar higher up "-I THINK I'M GONNA FALL OFF!"

* * *

…

"How long do you plan to keep staring at me, Waya-kun?"

"…Forgive me, Mezhari-sama." He actually placed both hands flat on the wooden floor and bowed low in apology.

Voreka stared at the top of his head, feeling a small curl lift the corner of her mouth.

Softly, she spoke to him. "You don't need to worry. But, do you think you can control me if I _do_ intend to go beyond my limit?"

The hunter-nin did not answer.

She lifted her gaze from him.

"Mother seems to favor you quite a bit."

Waya had flinched, just a bit, and she could tell even without looking directly at him.

Voreka made herself a wry smile. "I would have thought you to be on my side. You can't tell me you didn't share Atari's thoughts."

That much was certain, but Waya had even stopped Atari when the kunoichi had tried to kill her, the last time they've met.

"Mezhari-sama…I…"

…

That was strange. Where was the usual composure befitting of one who had always claimed the top position of their class?

"…There are those of us who have decided to place our faith in you."

Ah, he was saying the words she perhaps least wanted to hear at that point.

"Mezhari-sama" Waya did not lift his head from the floor "please succeed the head of this clan."

* * *

…

"What are you thinking, Itachi-san?"

The black-haired man did not reply, though he must have heard him.

For a long time the Sharingan user continued to stare up at the rain clouds in the distance, while trails of water ran through the tendrils of his long, wet hair.

"Although I must admit," Kisame spoke again, but even that wasn't able to disrupt the strange listless mood, "I never thought I'd see you show interest in anything."

Itachi was the embodiment of a natural and untamed grace, a dangerous alluring magnetism which had drawn the eyes of many young women. Usually, it wasn't like him to glance at them even once.

But, for whatever reason, the man had let that one girl affect him, and though it was elusive, it showed.

Needless to say, Kisame had always been puzzled by this.

"I still don't get it… Was there anything special about her? Right from the start, you've treated her differently. Eh, frankly, I've always felt that I've hated her."

"…Her…_misery_."

"Eh?"

The man did not repeat himself. He drew his red eyes away from the skyline. "Let's go."

"…This is really okay with you?" Kisame found himself asking skeptically as he started to follow the man's lead.

It really didn't matter to him at all?

"…This is fine." Itachi did not look back. "She…has already made her choice..."

* * *

The only other indication Voreka had that time was rapidly passing aside from her stiff muscles was that the rain shower outside which had made loud splattering noises on the roof had cleared.

It rained a lot in the Water Country. She was reminded of the nostalgic fact that sometimes a shower would last for days on end, and the inner walls of the darkened buildings would emit a perfume of damp wood.

…It had grown extremely – almost eerily – quiet since the rain had calmed.

The green-haired kunoichi was beginning to suspect that Waya would be able to keep kneeling forever.

"You may remain in that position for however long, but my mind had been made up before I came back here, Waya."

It was a conversation she had not expected and had no desire to be making.

"…Mezhari-sama, it is not necessary for you to sacrifice yourself to be able to change the ways of this clan."

Waya seemed to flinch again when he felt her gaze on him. "Forgive my impertinence."

Such deference. Was he really that afraid of her, or…?

With a cheerless smile, Voreka felt one of the rare moments in her life when she received the urge to be spiteful.

"You pity me, Loricha Waya? I suppose I am pitiful."

The hunter-nin looked like he was about to protest.

"But," she cut in, "despite what you may want to believe, there is no guarantee that I will not turn out like her..."

Lately, lately, one particular man had forced her to see that she hadn't known herself at all. All along, she had only been a selfish and self-deceptive individual who borrowed excuses to cover up her own cowardice.

Once, she might not have cared about carrying out the duty fate had entrusted her with. Now, however…if only to clear her conscience…

Voreka breathed a sigh, standing up to her full height.

"…This is fine." She has had enough time to steel her resolve. "This is the path I've chosen."

* * *

"My, what a red sunset," Kisame observed. He was sure that Itachi had noticed, too, although Itachi wouldn't make any comments like that.

His Sharingan had settled on the vision of the bloody sky at the horizon where the setting sun met water.

"That's the direction of the Hidden Mist village, isn't it?" It was more or less a guess, but Kisame knew the Water Country lay nearby, to the west, where the sun was lowering itself below the horizon.

Still, Itachi was staring into it with the same silent, listless demeanor as if he couldn't look enough.

The day was ending.

"…Itachi-san!?"

The shark man glanced down from the edge of the plateau he had seen Itachi leapt down from.

"Where are you going!?" Kisame called down to him, although it was pretty obvious.

The black-haired missing-nin did not reply or even glance back. A moment later his dark-clad figure had flitted into the wild shelter of the trees below.

"Hmph." Kisame was unsure of whether he should be wearing a grin or a scowl. "…Does this mean I can hunt your jinchuuriki as well?"

* * *

The door creaked. As it shut close behind the two of them, the thick silence of a true dark swallowed them both.

She was in there. Voreka's pink eyes could faintly pick up the color of her mother's chakra.

Her Ajna-gen was starting to adjust to other details in the darkness as well. Things which were close by and were containing miniature traces of chakra.

She did her best to maintain an unaffected exterior, although it was very unlikely that anyone could tell in that dark.

They were in one of 'those' rooms.

"I have come before you…Mother…" Voreka informed, trying to work her way around the cold edges of tabletops and the smooth surfaces of life-size glass containers. It really did give off an ill-boding feeling just from the fact that her mother had chosen that room.

Her mother did not reply. It was an unspoken invitation for her to come closer.

"…Mezhari-sama," Waya had chosen that moment to lean in and say to her, "I will be on your side."

She paused, mid-stride, glancing back at him over her shoulder. Not that she could see his face.

For a long moment Voreka tried to assess his words.

"Me, Waya-kun?" She stared back steadily for a while longer. "You…"

"Are a fool, I know," he replied.

"…Hah." Voreka gave a slow nod and looked back up front, focusing on trying to make out the dark edges of obstacles in her way. There wasn't anything she could say.

It was too late to turn back.

"Loricha Mezhari," her mother's voice, as if on cue, called out to her. "I am here. Come to me."

_This is fine…_

After a slow blink, Voreka stepped unfalteringly forward, proceeding in the direction the voice had came from.

"Such confident steps… Fuu…I see you've made your choice."

The lights in encircling the center of the space flickered on, illuminating the darkness in an unnerving shade of red.

Her heart gave a start upon recognizing the ancient characters inscribed in a spiral sprawling outward at their feet.

Waya seemed to be thinking the same thing. He exchanged a side-glance with her.

"That's right," the current leader of the Loricha clan wasted no time in saying, "this is the place it all started."

The woman was seated cross-legged in the center of the spiral. Her extremely long, pale green hair was a splendid display, stretching out to all sides, across the dark, barren surface of earth. The ground wasn't wood in this room. There was the smell of dirt, of neglect, of time.

"If you intend to end it all," her mother carried on with a sinister smile, "what better place than in here?"

Obviously, the woman was up to something. But what, Voreka couldn't figure out.

"You will take everything in here with you. And then the whole clan. Perhaps the entire village of the Hidden Mist."

It made her hesitate, briefly, but of course she was unconvinced.

"You think that-"

"I think that you haven't pulled through with it yet, because you harbor your doubts, Loricha Mezhari," her mother broke in. "Who do you think they will lay the blame upon? Certainly, if any of the Loricha clan will remain after this."

Was it true? Somehow, it felt like Waya was averting his eyes.

"You surely have felt it, Loricha Mezhari. The hunger of a spirit that wants to gain access to the material world through a connection from a human body." The activated, pupil-less pink eyes of her mother pierced through her. "Though our medics have managed to patch you up externally, you're already losing control of your third chakra center."

The woman blinked, and the pupils in the center of her irises returned. "With the next one, you won't be able to see chakra with your eyes."

Voreka stared back warily. A deep uneasiness was settling into her chest.

"By the time you lose control of your heart chakra-…"

"You don't need to say anymore," Voreka told her with a small frown. "You're saying that I only need to get a quick, clean death before 'it' releases itself."

"Fuuu…" Was her mother laughing at her? That thing on her lips looked to be awfully similar to a smile.

However, the older woman's eyes were dark and serious when she spoke again.

"I'm saying it's about time I tell you the truth regarding the Loricha clan's main family."

Gestured to sit, Voreka reluctantly settled down to her knees. She wasn't particularly interested in hearing any convenient stories her mother came up with, but somehow her strength was leaving her.

"This is a secret of the head family never been told before a man." Her mother's pink eyes landed on Waya. "You have chosen to follow her, after all, Loricha Waya?"

The hunter-nin inclined his head and said nothing.

The woman apparently decided to let it slip.

"The Loricha clan…originally had a singular special ability; the Ajna-gen from which we see all the weaves of energy from our mind's eye. But it was not enough. In times of war and vengeance, it was not enough."

It was a wry smirk that her mother gave her.

"Against her will, a certain leader of the past incarnated a greater spirit into the body of his wife. That restless spirit would forever be bound to the blood of the females of the Loricha clan's main family. As a gateway to the material world at her death."

"That's right…" the woman confirmed smoothly. "Right from the beginning…she had been meant as a sacrifice. Too bad they had underestimated how much power that incarnated spirit would bring her."

"Do you understand, now?" Her mother was observing her reaction carefully. "The reason why the Loricha clan's ancestors have passed down the teaching 'to be stronger than any man'? The reason why none of the branch families have gone through with a rebellion. And the reason that, no matter how soft-hearted at the beginning, no woman of the Loricha's main family could escape her destiny."

"Mezhari-sama…"

It felt like an incredible pressure was bearing down upon her. Waya was trying to get her to keep her neck straight, to keep her airway open.

"You thought that I was a heartless and unrelenting person by choice," her mother's voice filtered through. Almost an accusation. It could have been, if she had wanted to make it so.

Voreka was reminded sharply of the accuracy in her own words.

"_Despite what you may want to believe, there is no guarantee that I will not turn out like her..."_

…

She clutched at the sleeves of Waya's hunter-nin uniform, unable to let go.

"Ah…my daughter," this time, the older woman's voice was perhaps just a tad regretful, "my daughter…when I had set you free that time…I had not expected a day would come when I would need to call you back, but there is no choice…"

"…Hmph." For a while, Voreka said nothing, because the hysteria was bubbling up in her throat. "You're…telling me this _now_? And expect me to believe everything you say?"

Ridiculous, considering how close she had came to losing her life on several occasions.

"Fuu…" The woman blinked her pale, pink eyes, but her expression remained every bit as serious. "Loricha Mezhari, when you die, 'it' will likely come back to me. That is the end of the line, however. Who knows what will happen after my death? You, who are unable to hate the world despite it having turned its back on you, are you truly fine with that?"

Voreka felt her eyes close involuntarily.

Ah, his words were coming back to her.

'…_Where…is your hatred?'_

If she chose to not be swayed by this, then at least the vicious cycle would end. She wouldn't need to think about anything anymore. It didn't need to be so complicated. Was it fine for her to be selfish one last time? Someone…she needed someone to tell her.

"Waya." Voreka blinked her eyes open, seeing him by her side.

He seemed to understand what she was asking him.

The hunter-nin lowered his eyes in front of him. "I will…follow your wishes, Mezhari-sama."

How submissive he was. So unlike that red-eyed missing-nin whose image haunted her still.

_Then…this is fine._

Slowly, Voreka eased her weight from her knees in her kneeling position, straightening her spine. She reached up, drawing the curtain of her hair away to one side as she flicked out a kunai in her other hand.

She met the unflinching, watching eyes of her mother and smiled to herself.

"I'll have you know that I'm not the same weak and obedient girl I used to be…Mother."

* * *

Deidara switched the gear on his monocular telescope. "Hn…"

"What is it, Senpai? What do you see?"

The blonde tossed him a side-glance. "Are you sure this is it? There seems to be absolutely no light or movement…Uhn."

"Naturally," Tobi replied, humbly laying out both palms. "It's because they don't wish to be discovered easily."

A skeptical look overshadowed Deidara's face. "Then, how come you would know something like this? Hn?"

The masked man answered by way of a shrug. Then, as an afterthought, he added, "A bit of unfinished business, I'd say. But, shouldn't we hurry up, Deidara-senpai?"

"I know!" Deidara snapped, reaching his hand down into the belt-pouch at his side. "You don't have to tell me, yeah…"

* * *

Waya had been the only one who had flinched as her kunai snapped through its path.

Voreka rose up as she let the severed locks of her pastel green hair fall to the ground.

Hmph. It was like she never had any choice to begin with.

"Very well," Voreka said, dusting off the remaining strands of her cut hair from her shoulders. "If what you said is indeed the truth…" She breathed out, forcing herself to meet the other woman's judgmental gaze.

"Then I, too, will follow the Loricha clan elders' teachings."

She had to give it to her; her mother was able to tell that there was a catch to that admittance.

"That is," Voreka went on after that short pause, "I will not accept any man who is unable to defeat me. Is that not what you've taught me…Mother?"

A slight reaction. Her mother's crystalline pink eyes widened ever so slightly at the unexpected condition.

"In other words…" the woman's voice drawled smoothly.

"In other words," Voreka interrupted with a prolonged blink, "will you fight me, Loricha Waya?"

"Mezhari-sama." The hunter-nin's hands were clenched into fists in his lap. "Your injuries will-"

"Hmph. It's not like I have a choice."

But this was fine…

She would at least not submit without a fight.

…

"Fuuu…" her mother let out another low sound of laughter at the difficult situation Waya had been placed in. It couldn't be helped, since her daughter, Mezhari, had been warded away from all males at a young age. The girl knew nothing about the matters of the heart.

…Which made that boy, Uchiha Itachi, all the more enigmatic. But the leader of the Loricha clan remembered him making no objections to the renouncing of the betrothal. So why had he bothered forming an attachment to Loricha Mezhari when they had met again as missing-nins? Surely, a sharp boy like him would have been able to recognize the face of the one who was once promised to him, even though they had met only once.

And it did not appear that he had liked his fiancé very much, although he did a good job at keeping up an act.

"Loricha-sama!" one of the clansmen who appeared at the door called out.

Both Voreka and Waya fell back, parting momentarily from their close-combat stance. The ground – or was it the roof? It was rumbling.

"An…earthquake?" Voreka asked incredulously.

An explosion. One so abrupt that a splinter of wood bit across her brow before she could throw up her arms for cover.

What the-!?

"Yo."

The dark silhouette of Deidara skipped down from the gap in the crumbling roof. "We're here to take this one back, Uhn," the Akatsuki criminal announced. He got up from his landing pose and extended a hand down to her. "Come with me!"

Confused and disoriented, Voreka hadn't realized that she had reached out subconsciously until someone held her back. Waya had laid a hand on her other arm, the action breaking her free from her trance.

What was she doing?

"Tsch." Deidara raised his free hand before him in the form of a seal.

Wait- What was going on!? Everything was going too fast!

Another dark figure swooped down past her. Tobi cut in between her and the hunter-nin.

"Don't worry, Senpai!" the masked man declared with a backwards wave of his forearm. "I will take care of this!"

This time Deidara reached down and grabbed her arm. "Let's go!"

"Wait a minute-" Voreka protested half-heartedly as he dragged her after him. He didn't seem to her. There was too much background noise.

What was happening!? Was she supposed to be resisting!?

_Am-…Am I getting abducted!?_

More explosions set off behind them. Perhaps it wouldn't be a good idea to stop.

She did, however, glance back in curiosity at what her mother's reaction must be. She spotted the woman, the clan leader of the Lorichas, standing and calmly facing the Akatsuki member who had stayed behind.

Was that atmosphere what was considered to be normal in such a situation?

"Wait!" Voreka yelled again just as she collided into the blonde man ahead of her as he skidded to a sudden halt.

Some of the Loricha clan's hunter-nins who have arrived at the scene were obscuring their path.

"Hmph." Deidara flung his sleeve forward, scattering balls of his special clay which took form of spiders as they rolled towards the hunter-nins. They exploded towards their human targets as the senbon needles pierced through them.

No way. Her clansmen wouldn't use ninjutsu when it'll carry the risk of harming her as well. It was a lose-lose situation for them.

Voreka grabbed hold of Deidara's arm, which hadn't released her yet. That seemed to have gotten his attention.

"What-what are you doing!?" she needed to yell to be heard.

"What am I doing? Hn?"

At least, that's what she thought he said, because he wasn't raising his voice.

Then, he smirked, as if her wondering amused him.

"Saving you!"

…

She was simply too bewildered to think anything else as he switched from dragging her by the arm to supporting her by wrapping his arm around her waist as he leapt up to the rooftop.

"Dei-…Deidara-chan…" Voreka was only able to formulate words again when she found that they were flying on a large, unnatural bird. "What…do you mean…'saving' me?"

She had a feeling that she didn't want to know, but…

"You were going to be forced into marriage, weren't you?" the blonde, who was still holding onto her, replied with an eyebrow raised in askance. "To pass down the part of you which made you an Anomalous, yeah? Hey! Are you-"

No, she wasn't alright. Deidara was tilting to one side, and the aircraft mirrored this, because Voreka had clenched his cloak at the shoulder while trying not to sink to her knees.

"How-…how did you know that?" the kunoichi gasped out.

Forced into marriage? He was putting it nicely.

"Um… Well, I was surprised really, yeah, when Zetsu told us everything," Deidara admitted. "Uh… Mezhari-chan?"

…

Slowly gathering her bearings, Voreka dared to question, "…_He…_ He didn't come with you, did he?"

He was surprised by the tone of her voice. It showed in his uncovered eye, the blue visible even in the night sky.

"You mean Itachi? No… It didn't seem to affect him…Uhn."

That's good. That's good, because…

"Your hair," he noted, while returning his attention ahead, "what a shame, yeah."

Voreka blinked slowly. This man…after learning all that…he wasn't disgusted by her?

"…It'll grow."

What was she doing…? Hadn't she already decided that it would be fine to fulfill her destiny to her clan? But she had left them...just like that…

Voreka raised a hand to feel the dampness below her eyes. How strange… That feeling…

"Tsch," she heard Deidara made a sound of disapproval. "You like him that much? That heartless bastard?"

…

…That's _not _what it is.

"Heh." Deidara had made adjustments to his monocular telescope as he had been scanning the forested surface of the earth below. "…Interesting. This is far enough, I guess…yeah."

Without warning, the blonde leapt down from the side of his aircraft, pulling her with him.

"Eh-Ahhhh!"

Deidara made a perfect landing, a split second before her. He reached up and helped her break her fall, although it hadn't been extremely effective, because she had more or less crushed into him.

That should be enough excitement for one day.

"Mezhari-chan," Deidara addressed her, pulling her in with one arm around her head.

The taller, blonde man planted a kiss on her forehead, much to her bewilderment, before he spoke in a contemptuous tone of voice.

"Hmph, so you've decided to come after her, after all, you unfeeling bastard?"

Every muscle in her body must have locked up upon hearing Deidara's words. She couldn't breathe.

That ominous presence. She even felt Deidara stiffen beside her in a way which could not have been out of mere caution.

It was the force of Uchiha Itachi's killing intent.

Really…that was exactly why Voreka hadn't wanted to cross paths with him again.

…_because he would undoubtedly be mad. Truly mad. _

_Now that he knows I've lied to him._


	27. I love her not

**A/N: **It's a bit long this time. I'll leave it at the bottom. Your questions are answered there, too, if this chapter doesn't answer it for you.

* * *

**Chapter 27 – "I love her not"**

* * *

Deidara removed himself from the girl's close proximity, blue eye wide with anticipation. He was getting the feeling that he was going to need both hands free.

Uchiha Itachi, with his shoulders rising and falling in rapid movements that were near invisible in the dark, was at that moment no less intimidating than he was at his best.

And perhaps even more so.

Especially when those cursed Sharingan of his narrowed dangerously at the sight of the blood which had smeared onto his – Deidara's – lips.

That was from a cut on the girl's right eyebrow, which he'd accidentally brushed by. Apparently, for whatever reason, the typically emotionless Uchiha found the sight of it agitating.

Yeah, Itachi's silent, oppressive killing aura would have shaken a lesser man.

Admittedly, just that alone was enough to rush the adrenaline through Deidara's veins. He had never thought he'd be able to invoke Itachi's cold fury.

"Heh…" Interesting. Deidara stepped back, readying himself for battle. But, before that…

The blonde cast a curious glance beside him. The girl looked as though the life had gone out of her.

"Hey, don't you have anything to say to this bastard? …Hn?"

Something along the lines of 'what are you doing here', at least?

Deidara noted that the expressions of fear, confusion, and rage, all flashed across her pale features, but Voreka did not turn around to even glance at Itachi.

"In fact…I do," the kunoichi agreed bitterly. She was staring straight ahead of her with quite an exasperated look. And what would it be that she wanted to tell him, with such a troubled expression?

"That is…" and she frowned "I have nothing to say to you."

Deidara made an incredulous face.

Yeah, okay. He'd expect that anyone who had been part of Akatsuki for any amount of time had to be a little unusual.

"…Is that so…?" Itachi's smooth, elegant tone directed itself at her. The kunoichi shivered involuntarily as his red gaze brushed the back of her neck. A malicious intent darkened his eyes as he made his sinister promise to her.

"…I will deal with you, next."

…

…It can't be that they had a very good relationship.

Yeah, well, it wasn't the time to wonder about that.

Uchiha Itachi had returned his focus to him, and Deidara knew even the tiniest gestures that the raven-haired man could make would be indications that he needed to watch out for his life. He was well aware of the Sharingan user's inhuman speed.

Not to mention that those crimson eyes will not be deterred by night-blindness.

"Mezhari-chan! Get out of here!" Deidara yelled out in warning. The green-haired kunoichi ducked aside as a flurry of fire shuriken lit the night sky. He himself lurched backwards onto the top of his animated clay model as it swooped down to pick him up.

One of the discs of flame burned a path through his cloak's sleeve as the blonde missing-nin ascended elusively into the sky. That just might leave a scar.

"Damn it!" Deidara cursed to himself, glaring back down at those pair of accursed red eyes in the dark. It was a good thing that the blonde possessed an extraordinary vision of twenty-eight, to be able to make out where his opponent is without having to rely on his monocular telescope. "I'll make him pay for that…yeah."

He reached inside his belt-pouch for his explosive clay.

But Itachi had stepped back and had blown a full rolling inferno sphere of fire up at him and his bird.

"Whoa! _What the hell!?_"

Shit!

Deidara made his aircraft take as much distance from the fast-approaching, massive fireball before hurling himself off one side before it could be overtaken.

The bastard was trying to bring him down, huh!?

"Not that easily! Un."

Deidara released the unmolded clay from his hands. Then he brought his hands before him in seal formation.

"Spread!"

With a white puff of dust, his two globs of explosive clay morphed into a fleet of ivory birds, each the length of half an arm-span.

The blonde stepped on his flying clay models as he sped ahead of them. He needed to cut off his opponent's escape path.

Itachi spared a glance over his shoulder, noting the scattering of more bug-sized clay marbles behind him. He looked back up at Deidara's aerial assault unaffectedly.

This bastard who didn't know how to appreciate his art.

Deidara concentrated his chakra into his extended hand and shouted, "TAKE THIS!"

Itachi leapt up, right before the blonde slammed down into the spot where he had been a split second earlier, setting off a predicted explosion.

But the black-haired missing-nin was wary as he watched the cloud of smoke and dirt. Deidara was not a suicide bomber, and the controlled size of that explosion proved that. So then, that move just now-…

"Got you! …Hmph."

Deidara looked up and saw a mild look of surprise emerge on his opponent's face as his clay clone grabbed hold of Itachi from behind.

Now.

His clay bird figures shot spiraling down, smashing into their target.

Deidara back-flipped immediately afterwards, shielding himself from the force of the explosion with his arms.

He sensed a rush of air from the back, so subtle that he almost missed it.

"Tsch."

Itachi's blast of fire engulfed the clay figure Deidara replaced himself with. It exploded with the heat, sending back both missing-nins sliding to a halt on the dark, damp earth.

Damn. So it had come down to close combat, after all.

Deidara gritted his teeth. "Fine, if that's how you want it!" He ripped off the monocular telescope from his left eye. That was the eye he had trained to overcome illusion techniques. "I've been waiting ages for this battle! Un."

His opponent was aggravatingly unfazed by his declaration of war. Itachi's incarnadine eyes even seemed to be communicating boredom.

Deidara flinched in alarm, evading to one side as another Itachi slashed his kunai through the empty space from behind.

Replication!? Which one's the real one!?

"Hmph." The blonde threw two globs of clay to either side and clasped his hands together. "Oh well…Un."

It wasn't easy while forcing one eye closed, but Deidara tried to keep watch on both explosions on either side as his clay birds dove into the targets.

There had been no movement, no sign of escape from either explosion clouds. He stiffened, reaching down into his belt-pouch and tossing a chunk of clay a few yards away. It looked like he was going to need that backup.

Bad. Very ba-

Deidara arched back, just as Itachi burst through from underneath and his kunai slashed off a section of his long, gold bangs. He responded by ramming a handful of explosive clay into his opponent before him.

It exploded into a fountain of dirt and shadows. Another clone.

A sharp pain pierced into his back.

Deidara grimaced, raising one hand before him in seal formation. "Behind you, Un."

Itachi leapt aside before the twin bombers hit.

Damn him! Deidara cursed to himself as he ripped the kunai out of his back, flinging himself onto his summoned aircraft to get out of the range of his own explosion.

This was bad. He might run out of chakra sooner than the Uchiha at this rate.

"Tsch." The blonde missing-nin scanned the surface of the earth below. _Now _where did he go!?

The sound of shuriken flitting through the dark answered him. His clay bird wavered, losing equilibrium.

Where!?

That was when the silhouette of Itachi appeared in the air next to him. Deidara blocked the man's punch with one arm, but the force of his blow had caused him to slide off his aircraft.

Impossible! He can reach that far by springing off the treetops!?

"Ugh!" Deidara flipped himself upright in his fall, countering his opponent's back-sidekick with his own.

They landed apart from each other. He didn't even have time to catch his breath.

Deidara quickly went through the hand-seals required for his next technique. If his direct assaults weren't working, then…

"Spread!"

By the slight thinning of those crimson eyes, he could tell that Itachi was able to assess the situation quite clearly.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny, pale-winged butterflies manifested and took flight. They fluttered and glided, in a carefree and aimless manner, spreading out until the whole area was surrounded by flecks of white. Yet they avoided the two Akatsuki members in their midst as if an unseen force repelled them.

Yeah, simply put, Itachi wouldn't want to be using his fire jutsu unless he was feeling suicidal. Setting off just one will mean the annihilation of the whole, including whatever else they could take down with them.

"…Hmph."

Deidara felt his shoulders tense upon perceiving that arrogant expression on his opponent's face.

He came, no more than a blur in untrained eyes.

He was faster, if not stronger than him. Deidara was reminded unpleasantly of Itachi's superiority in close combat.

The blonde fell back as one of Itachi's blows connected with his jaw. He had to get back up in the nick of time to block and counter his opponent's next bout of attacks.

Urgh…this was making him so mad…yeah.

Deidara performed a singlehanded seal as he blocked Itachi's elbow with his other hand.

There's no way he'll let the Sharingan user to beat him alive!

"Converge!" yelled Deidara. The hundreds of his clay butterflies froze instantly, and then swarmed, clotting to the two missing-nins in a great mass of white. "DIE!"

It happened fast. He felt himself being grabbed behind by the collar of his cloak. A clone!?

He was flung to the side, where another Itachi awaited. It hit him in the shoulder, knocking him spinning in the opposite direction.

Too strong. He couldn't even-

This time he was sent up high into the air by a high sidekick.

Damn it! He can't keep giving openings like this! Where-!?

Both Deidara's eyes widened in realization as he sensed the Sharingan wielder appear above him.

_Shit!_ If Itachi shot him down _NOW_-

"DAMN!" he cursed as the impact of Itachi's ax kick cast him down towards the nest of his own explosives.

Too fast! Too close! He couldn't-

Deidara hissed out in pain, hearing the sickening crunch as his shoulder came into contact with the earth first, just as numerous explosions flared out in a ground-breaking rumbling.

What-!?

Clenching his teeth in an effort to ignore the splitting pain coursing throughout his upper body from his fractured limb, Deidara forced himself to get up.

"…Don't…hurt him anymore…"

It was _her_, just as he suspected. The green-haired kunoichi whose voice sounded as if she couldn't believe she was able to formulate those words.

She straightened slowly, lifting the palm of her hand away from the ground. Even if she had managed to not sound like it, a visible trembling was present in her movements.

It was her who had apparently summoned a wind element technique to drive the clay butterflies to the sidelines before his impact could set them off.

"Tsch… Why didn't you run away!?" Deidara demanded to know. Didn't she know how incredibly ruthless Uchiha Itachi was!? Wasn't she aware of the murderous aura he was giving off!? She did, didn't she!?

Her eyes were wide, averted as if she was aware of the fact that she was being obvious. They were reflecting her fear.

Deidara coughed, turning to face his enemy just as the crimson-eyed man delivered a blow to the side of his neck. His vision was swimming even before he was dragged down by the collar of his cloak while Itachi kneed him in the chest.

Shit!

The bastard pulled him back up, shoving a punch into his abdomen before using the grip on his neck to force him to meet his dark, enlarging pupils.

Deidara knew it was the rumored Mangekyo Sharingan which he was about to face.

Damn it…utterly… He'd been utterly defeated.

* * *

"Urgh…" Deidara was either dead, or out cold, by the time Itachi released his hold on him.

She really couldn't tell this time.

Voreka covered her mouth with the back of her hand. She hadn't known… She hadn't known before then that it was possible to feel ill – really ill – from fear.

Those merciless red eyes. She felt them turn on her at last.

Voreka gripped the handle of the bloodstained kunai tightly in her right hand.

Why hadn't she run away? Because, it should have been _her _fight in the first place. _She _was the one he was angry at, wasn't she!? Why did the two Akatsuki members fight among themselves!?

_Argh…_

The battle she'd witnessed just now had been so fast paced that it had only appeared to be flashes to her. Way out of her level. But still…

"…I'll be your opponent." The green-haired kunoichi pulled herself together. Her pink eyes flashed angrily. He wasn't the only one who had reason to be ticked off. "Face me!"

His response, of course, was forthcoming. And fast.

She just narrowly missed being burned to a crisp.

…

If it hadn't been obvious enough that he meant to _kill _her, well there certainly is no question about it, now.

Voreka picked herself up slowly, because Itachi seemed to be allowing her time to recover.

"…I take it that you don't manage to get deceived often…" she said with a strained voice.

…Oops… That hadn't been meant to sound complacent or anything.

But, apparently the S-rank criminal didn't take it lightly.

She felt the warm flow of blood from the center of her right hand as the razor edge of her kunai slit over it again. Slamming the palm of her hand down to the ground, Voreka summoned a circular mound of earth around her, to block out the cluster of shuriken.

Likely, she'd be suffering from blood-loss before this fight was over.

Her pink eyes squinted slightly. "That's getting-..."

The kunoichi turned around to face him right as his kunai plunged through her midsection. She smiled lightly, drawing him closer by the arm. "…-a bit predictable, Itachi-san."

The green-haired figure before him vanished in a puff of smoke. A basic substitution technique, of course.

…Of course.

Itachi's red eyes widened in mild disbelief upon registering the explosion tag she'd attached to her log.

As she expected, the residue clay from Deidara's battle earlier – which had worked into the earth – greatly amplified the explosion her trap had set up.

Voreka pulled out senbon needles from their holsters. She knew that without precise control over her own chakra, it meant that she was reliant on summoning elements in their raw form instead of using her own ninjutsu. When was the last time she had to push her wits to the limit?

The smoke screen eased away. The burning branches of nearby trees which some of Deidara's previous explosions have ignited shed flickering light onto the kneeling figure revealed at the heart of the newly created crater.

"…Hmph…" Itachi's quiet, venomous voice, sounding a tad more breathless than usual "…I will admit… You…"

She saw him raise his head, sliding his hand away from one eye. Blood trickled down that side of his face. Coupled with that vengeful glare of his, it was truly a blood-chilling sight to behold.

"You…" he repeated, his voice no more than a cold, sinister whisper. Those glowing, crimson orbs locked onto her with an intensity which promised death. "…I've said I will not be made a fool by you again."

Didn't even see it coming. Voreka crossed her arms in front of her head the instant before his kick made its impact. She was sent flying backwards, tumbling uncontrollably until her back came up against a large rock embedded in the earth.

The kunoichi hadn't forgotten. His words, from the last time she had defied him were _"Mezhari-kun… That is the…last time you'll make a fool of me."_

Ugh. That sickening feeling of fear returned, squeezing her sides.

For a minute, Voreka couldn't make out any words. She was choking, fighting desperately to keep back any sounds of pain that would satisfy him.

That. Freakin. Hurt. Worse than a cut would be.

"…I-…" She couldn't continue that sentence yet, hissing an intake of air as she tried to regain feeling into her arms.

Incredible. He was that angry. Angry at her for lying to him about her true condition. She had already known that Uchiha Itachi wouldn't be someone who'd take lightly to being deceived, but then again, she really hadn't expected to see him again.

"…I'd try to explain, but…" Voreka scoffed to herself, finally able to get back to her feet. "It doesn't seem like you want to talk."

He was facing her. Closest he'd been since their reencounter. Ah, but she was much too afraid to look at him.

Why…? All of the other emotions she had associated with him. _All _of them combined could not even overcome this fear. _It was like she felt this battle had been decided before it began._

_No, it cannot be._

The pain was going to cost her, but the green-haired kunoichi drew her arms back and flung her senbon needles straight up into the sky.

Itachi's red eyes followed the upward motion briefly, before settling back on her. Either he wasn't able to anticipate what she meant to do, or he simply didn't see it as a threat. The black-haired missing-nin spoke.

"…Explain?" And she could read his expression as being nothing but suspicious.

Eleven seconds.

"The things I've said that time…were not lies," Voreka said carefully. That was the truth, but somehow, for some reason, she still couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye.

She told him, with downcast eyes. "…I had really intended to die that time.

His low, airy voice right next to her.

"…_Then die_."

She flinched at the sudden pain as his kunai dug into her side. Blood was starting to soak through, the fluid cold against her skin as it bled down from the wound.

A slight hesitation. Perhaps Itachi was wondering why she hadn't tried to avoid it.

Three seconds.

Voreka reached and grasped the blade of his kunai tightly, tight enough to feel it bite into her hand.

"…Sorry…" she answered him steadily as she could manage "…can't do…"

And the kunoichi forced the blade downward, the slash widening the wound. Because she didn't think she was strong enough to get him to remove it. The spots on the damp earth darkened as her blood splattered onto it.

It all happened within that last second. The green-haired kunoichi had formed her hand-seal, pulling away just enough to distance herself from the effect of her summoning technique.

_**Earth Element Summoning Technique: Earth Prison**_

The man seemed to have realized what it was that she had planned at this point. Itachi's red, long-lashed eyes flashed up at the hail of her falling senbon needles in the air.

The timed explosive notes which she had strung to the ends of some of them set off at that exact same instant.

Sound of explosions, intimately followed by the shrill ringing of needles as they shot down at neck-breaking speed, propelled by the force of the explosions.

Voreka panted for breath, wrenching loose one of the long throwing needles from her heel.

Hah. To think. Getting caught by her own attack. Damn it, but there really weren't many options available to her if she was dealing with the likes of _him_.

"…What is it…"

It was possible that her heart skipped a few beats.

"…What made you change your mind…" not quite a question.

From behind. And close behind.

Goddess, _what the _hell_ was this man made of!?_

"Urgh…" The pain at her side was crippling her. Voreka doubted that she would be able to rise from her kneel without staggering over. Nonetheless, she reached over to that side.

Her crystalline pink eyes blinked in surprise. She had kept her explosive notes on that side of her waist-strap. They were gone, now.

Tsch. That explains how Itachi had broken free from her justu's restraints within the nick of time. He had used an explosion tag, the lesser of two impending harm.

Well…she was in big trouble. Heh heh…heh heh heh-

She…couldn't stop laughing, though it wouldn't do her any good.

…She'd been…defeated…

…

Itachi's dark frown, she felt it on the back of her neck.

"Answer me…" he commanded coldly.

...Oh, right…

Why she was still alive even though she told him that she went back to die? Although, she didn't say that specifically. He must've gotten the right impression when she had been begging him to spare her fragile life, though.

"That's because-…"

Yes, the pink-eyed kunoichi had been prepared to end her fast-fading life, thus putting an end to the Loricha clan's long history of oppression on its members.

That was before her mother had told her everything. She…didn't have any choice but to live, now that she had heard the truth.

No choice but to survive.

"That's because…"

"_This is a secret of the head family never told before a man," _her mother had said.

Ugh…

Damn it.

"I…don't want to explain myself after all."

Dying was not an option, either. Damn it. But she was not without pride.

Voreka spun around. He'd been expecting her move. Instead of grabbing the wrist of her hand with her needles to _stop_ her attack, he grabbed her wrist and _pulled_, using her own momentum against her. She crashed to the ground, sliding a few feet before coming to a full halt.

Ah, the way she was feeling right then. Indescribable.

As if that humiliation wasn't enough, Itachi came up beside her and stepped one foot on her forearm, effectively cutting off all sensations she had in it.

The raven-haired shinobi did nothing else. He was waiting; perhaps, to see if displaying his utter domination would make her change her mind.

…

"…You win."

It felt like all her fighting spirit had drained out of her with that admittance of defeat.

"You win," Voreka repeated, because she wasn't sure she had heard herself say it correctly the first time.

…

The wound at her side was starting to burn like hell, one among many other new injuries. She simply couldn't do this anymore.

Her pounding heart will possibly_ fail_ soon from being under so much pressure.

"…Will you…" she tried to keep that greatly distressed frown off her face "…allow me to live a while longer if…"

She had no idea how hard it would be just to put that into words.

"…if I will agree to become your subordinate like you had wanted?"

…

He did not react at first. The missing-nin remained completely still.

Voreka felt a cold sweat break out from the suspense.

Idiot. Begging her enemy for mercy like that.

But she must-…must live…

Slowly, so slowly, she felt Itachi lift the sole of his sandal away from her arm. With an equally slow pace, his hand reached towards her.

The missing-nin grabbed her by the neck and slammed her back down against the earth.

Voreka saw flashes of faint white light cross her vision.

Bastard. This bastard. He-

"…All this time…" Itachi's smooth, cruel voice flowed over her skin. He was above her now, one hand still encircling her neck. "All this time…" he repeated, his sinister red eyes poisoning his words with threat "_…you've only seen it like that…?"_

His hold…was choking off most of her air. And she couldn't move at all. He was pinning her down, pressing against her with his entire body.

_What the hell!?_

The kunoichi was practically wheezing as she tried to make out her words. "It's-…-not it-…-then-!? –_the hell do you-…-want from me-…!?"_ and she managed to leave out the 'bastard' at the end of that line.

_Oh, sure. Look like you don't know the answer yourself when you're FREAKING STRANGLING ME TO DEATH FOR NOT KNOWING THAT EITHER!_

_ARGH…!_

Of course, Itachi remained completely unfazed by her discomfort. He seemed to be thinking, before leaning in next to her ear and spoke, in that strange, detached way of his in gazing ahead unseeingly.

The long-haired shinobi might have smiled, too. A tiny, twisted smile which said much but explained nothing.

"…_A woman whom I can call mine_…" That was what he said – or at least she thought he had said – in a half-whisper, next to her ear.

Behold. Her unabridged astonishment.

…

…_What!?_

"…-So you-…"

_Wait…what!?_

"…want me-…"

Itachi drew back slightly, enough to be able to witness the bewilderment evident in her face.

Hold on, because she was desperately – _desperately _– trying to make sense of what he just told her.

"…-to _find_ you one-!?" Voreka demanded to know, short of breath from the effort.

"…"

His darkening eyes did not bode well. That grip on her throat tightened even more, if that was even possible.

…

_I… don't really get it, but…_

_I think I'm going to die. _

* * *

**A/N:** …This is why you can't trust what I promise anymore (I don't know my own story until I actually get to write a specific chapter). Anyway, I…totally got stuck at the battle scenes at first, and then ended up getting carried away with descriptions… so I ran out of room -.- you may kick me for it. Gah, but I really really…wanted this chapter to have "proper" battles without Itachi doing his usual Sharingan invincibility thing.

About Voreka cutting her hair off, no, it's not against her clan's rules (you're not missing that much LOL). I guess it could be read as her severing the part of her (not literally) which couldn't decide for herself.

As for the other question…originally Voreka had implied that she will die no matter what, in order to try and convince Itachi to let her go, but that hadn't been the complete truth (well, it was the truth to _her_, though). She figured if he found that out, he'd be mad at being tricked by her, if nothing else. Plus, she didn't die like she said she would, did she? Hoho… On that note, I happened to come across a song on youtube while looking for Deidara's battle footages. Have a listen to Disturbed's "The Game" xD you'll know why I find it so amusing if you hear it.

**Unkown:** Hmm…I wonder if you can wait a little bit longer for TwtL, since I do want to go through the next section of it in one breath. I'm delighted, however, to know that someone has been taken in by the intrigue in that story xD


	28. This is how it is

**A/N: **I present to you, misunderstanding and denial in its dumbest form. Because my brain's still a mess from the revelation of chapter 401.

T.T

Oh, if this chapter is confusing for you. I'm pretty darn confused myself. The next one will make sense of it, I guess…

* * *

**Chapter 28 – "This is how it is"**

* * *

…

She couldn't breathe.

Couldn't make out her own heartbeat anymore.

Maybe she was already dead. Or stuck somewhere between life and death.

Damn it. If he was going to kill her, just _do_ so already!

A snapping sound pricked her ears.

Was that her neck, or-?

"Um-…Don't mind me, I'm just here to-"

All at once, air rushed back into her lungs reflexively as the hold on her throat slackened. Voreka broke into a fit of dry coughs.

"Deidara-senpai!" Tobi shook grabbed the unconscious blonde missing-nin by the collar and shook him violently. "No! Don't die on me!"

"…Urgh…"

"Phew." The masked man seemed relieved to have elicited some sort of response. That sense of relief was short-lived, however, because the next thing he noticed was the cold stare of Uchiha Itachi.

"Well-…uh…I'll be um-…taking Deidara and-…_KYAAA!"_

Did someone just say 'Kyaaa'? Not that she could blame him.

Itachi had lifted his elbow from the center of her chest. He was now directing his attention to the masked man.

Tobi had thrown up his arms in defense and remained in that half-crouching stance until it became absolutely certain that Itachi wasn't about to try anything.

"…" The masked man coughed, straightening from his exaggerated posture. "So…I'll just-…"

Tobi bent down, hoisting Deidara up by slinging one of the unconscious man's arms over his shoulder.

Groggily, Voreka noted that it didn't appear the masked man thought something like this was unusual.

"By the way, Itachi-san," Tobi inquired before he was about to make off, "are you planning to bring her back or to do away with her? Can't have someone who knows so much on the organization to be running loose."

…

…So that's what it was. He was right. She had technically been an Akatsuki spy…although the only two she had revealed that to was Itachi and Kisame.

Itachi still had her pinned down by one foot stepped on her arm, his other knee jabbing into her abdomen. His dark-lashed eyes flickered briefly from her to Tobi's watching figure.

It didn't take him long to think about it.

She was going to die.

Inwardly, Voreka cringed at the slow flow of his movements as the long-haired man reached inside his sleeve and drew out a kunai.

…

This was it…

She…looked up into Itachi's dark eyes and saw nothing there.

Ah, but he was a killer, wasn't he? It…was useless…useless to beg him to spare her life, wasn't it?

Still, but still… There should be something she could say. Something, anything, not even an apology, of sorts? But her breath hitched in her throat.

Voreka shut her eyes, hearing the sharp edge of his blade cut through air.

…

_Anyone else…if it had been just anyone else…_

_But he's the one who defeated me. _

"Oh, my. I don't think you want to be doing that, Itachi-san."

Voreka blinked her pink eyes open, inhaling a small gasp.

The kunai had been stopped, approximately one hand-span away from her throat.

Itachi's cold eyes slid over to the masked man whose hand had gripped his wrist to halt his action.

…

_Did I just…narrowly miss death? I think I did._

But what was-…

"Sheesh, really, this guy…" The man named Tobi; he dropped his hand away and stepped back. Then he shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "Anyhow, you'd probably want to think twice after knowing that she only one who can carry on the Loricha main family's bloodline, which will otherwise set loose a whatever-that-was at its extinction."

The masked man flapped both hands before him dismissively. "I, at least, don't want to be in range when that occurs."

…

Voreka felt all the blood drain from her face.

Why…did she feel such tension?

"…" When he spoke, the man's words were soft and calm, but with an underlying malice. "…What he's saying…" Itachi's dark, expressionless eyes trailed back on her. They narrowed dangerously. "…Is true?"

Nonetheless, Voreka's attention was fixated on the masked man behind him, who raised a finger in a shushing gesture.

…

…_What?_

_Wait a minute…_

That was a clan secret her mother had not even revealed to her until it became absolutely necessary.

That was a secret her mother wouldn't have revealed to any man even if she _died!_

He had been the one who had stayed behind to buy them time while they were escaping from the Loricha clan, hadn't he?

"Wait-!"

Itachi did not seem amused by her struggling.

_Ow-ow ow ow OW OW!_

She slid back further, because he had pressed his weight down on her again. Her wounds. Ow, her wounds!

Ugh-!

"…You…" Itachi's low voice spoke down to her maliciously "…_would have rather died than to have told me?_"

_Maybe_ she would have replied to that if he weren't half-suffocating her. But she felt cold sweat break out again.

"Oh dear," Tobi said, deciding to make use of that chance to escape. "Ah well, I gotta take Deidara back so, at least keep an eye on her till you get back?"

…

_No way…_

"…_Answer me_…" Itachi's cold voice demanded of her, successfully garnering all of her attention to him. She was frozen to the bone.

Voreka's voice was trembling as she struggled to form her sentence, although she wasn't sure why that was. "…-You…-would have believed me-…-even if I did?"

There was a long, heavy pause. Finally, his stoic countenance was replaced by his frown. "No," was Itachi's curt reply.

…

She thought as much. And now she couldn't keep her eyes from twitching.

"Keh keh-…" Voreka laughed, or coughed, weakly. "You-…would have-…-killed me-…if he hadn't-…"

…she trailed off, unable to think any further.

Why…was he…staring at her like that? It wasn't like she had said anything wrong, had she?

An uncomfortable silence blanketed over them.

Then, slowly…agonizingly slow…

Itachi drew his fingertips across her skin, nails scratching her lightly. His dark eyes watched her reaction with cruel amusement. "…_Hn_." A faint, mirthless smile manifested slowly on his lips as he leaned in and told her softly, _"…You don't know the danger you're in." _

…

No?

Did it not count when right after he released her, she instinctively curled up on her side and retched?

What _was_ that?

…

_Urk-…_

_I…don't get it at all. _

* * *

"What, am I-" huffing for breath "-doing such a bad job?" Voreka winced in pain.

Actually, she must've been doing a horrible job. Her hands were trembling too hard, because the entire time he had been watching her as she made stitches to close up the gash in her side, the blood staining everywhere.

Ah, she missed the days when she still had precise control over her chakra to be performing some basic medical techniques. Not anymore, but at least her knowledge of pressure points could still permit her to prevent blood flow and to dull pain.

"Urgh-…ugh-…!"

He made no comment as she snapped the string upon finishing her stitches, after which she curled herself up into a shivering ball and tried to block out his existence.

…

It. wasn't. working.

The mere sound of him rising to a stand was enough to make her spine lock up.

"Get up," his smooth, breathless voice ordered her. "We're moving."

Aw. He's got to be kidding. Damn.

"…Alright." She could imagine his frowning when she rolled away as he approached a step. The man possessed such a fine, erratic temper. It made him almost predictable. Almost.

…_?_

The kunoichi was at a loss for thoughts when his cloak fluttered down over her head while she was rising up.

She lifted it away from her face.

Huh…? Did he just-…?

"I-!" Voreka started to protest. Her resolve flitted away when Itachi tilted her head back by gripping her hair, forcing her to meet his apathetic gaze. He didn't need to say a word.

…

"…-I didn't say anything…" she amended nervously, tearing her eyes away.

Geez, did he get taller since they've first met, or was she _really_ shrinking in on herself before him?

He didn't release her right away. For a long moment his unblinking gaze bore into her before he spoke calmly. "…Don't think I haven't realized…that you've worded your surrender as a question."

Voreka bit her lip. From her peripheral vision, it looked like Itachi's dark eyes were smirking…mockingly.

And yes, she must've been _really _shrinking in on herself, because she nearly lost her footing when he let go of her hair.

"…That's…all you're going to say?" the kunoichi wondered out loud, refraining from rubbing her scalp with her bloodied hands.

Apparently so.

Voreka glanced to either side skeptically, wincing in pain as she followed his lead.

"…Where's Kisame-san?"

…

Heh. Itachi…was ignoring her.

…Well, of course, given the irony of it all. Hypothetically speaking, he'd just been stuck with someone he'd been trying to kill for the past hour or so.

"…Sorry," the pink-eyed kunoichi mumbled, more to herself than to him. "…I suppose we shouldn't have met…-again. If not, we wouldn't have wound up like this… But-…I-…You-…" Voreka failed to stifle a troubled frown.

_You are the one who had-_

She just noticed that she'd accidentally run her hand through her hair, staining it red. Crap.

"Mezhari-kun."

Voreka winced, enduring the discomfort of _not _making an eye-roll. "…It feels so wrong when _you_ call me that, It-"

Itachi had turned back, and was facing her.

"…Why don't you try escaping…" his sinister voice carried back to her.

She shuddered involuntarily. Oh, he was still pissed off. Undoubtedly.

Voreka averted her eyes. "But, I-"

"No," Itachi cut her off quietly, piercing her with those fatalistic red eyes which he had reactivated. "I suggest you run."

* * *

The girl had blanched considerably. There was no way she could have missed the extent of his threat, however clueless she may be.

Her fear was so acute that it was tangible on the tip of his tongue. It was enticing to him in a way he did not particularly understand; he, who had been basked in the fear of his victims as he had slain a river of blood.

But she, who had grown to fear him this much only after starting to see him as a man, with her bloodstained figure and her anxious countenance…

He wanted more of it…especially her fear.

The girl took a step back as he stepped forward. She had almost tripped, while covering her mouth with one hand.

Itachi felt a merciless smirk tug at the corner of his mouth.

Since when…?

Slowly, he let his crimson eyes close shut.

She might have seen it coming, but there was no way she could have avoided it, being injured as she was.

"…What part of 'I suggest you run' have you not understood?" he asked smoothly, eyeing her steadily from behind.

It would have been amusing, to have to hunt her down.

This girl, who would risk her life for a mission from a village that had deceived her, and would still defend the comrades who have betrayed her from him.

This girl, who would risk her life for a child she did not know, and would die for a clan that had not cared.

This girl, who should be regretting that she had not killed him back then, when she had the chance. She, who would have rather been killed by him than to have told him the truth of her situation.

She had collapsed to her knees shakily, covering her eyes and whispering over and over to herself in a strained and broken voice, _"…You are the one who defeated me. You are the one who defeated me…"_

Another of her strange antics, no doubt.

He stared down at her apathetically.

Greatly disturbed she was, and completely defenseless.

It was tempting, to make all her misery his. So that he would be the one thing she'll weep over. To live her pathetic life for, as she had done for other senseless things in the past.

It would be so easy.

…

Itachi closed his eyes languidly, letting his Sharingan fade.

…Hn.

His eyes slid open, fixing idly at a spot above her head.

…

She…brings out the worst in him.

And does a good job at not realizing exactly that.

…

"…You won't to run?" He'd imagine that she wouldn't be able to make it far, anyway. Perhaps she knew.

"Hmph, you…" Itachi's long-lashed eyes slimmed into a wry smirk "…cannot escape me."

* * *

…

She couldn't even recall what the rest of the morning before sunrise was like. The earliest memory she had was at dawn, when Itachi had picked her out of the stream with a displeased frown and demanded, "What are you doing?"

Oops.

She must've passed out while trying to refresh herself.

"Ugh…" Voreka clutched the side of her head, feeling a terrible headache start to build up. "Sorry…sorry…" she kept repeating.

His gaze stayed with her a moment longer, as if trying to assess something.

Hazily, she watched him expertly build up a fire, lighting it with his ninjutsu.

And she almost fell into it, if not for him holding her back by the collar of her tunic.

Whoops…had she been _that_ cold?

"…I can put you out of your misery," Itachi's voice informed her lightly, the tinge of a frown in his tone.

…

"No…I'm not trying to kill myself…and I'm awake, now." Kinda. sorta. It's just…she couldn't remember when was the last time she had gotten a proper rest.

"Hey, Itachi-san…" Her heart gave a little flutter when one elegant brow rose ever so slightly. She hadn't realized that she'd been staring.

He was still such a heartbreakingly beautiful man.

If taken out of context.

_Hmmph…I really don't remember. Is it even true?_

Someone like him should have been unforgettable, right?

"Itachi-san…" Voreka asked, feeling a weak smile tug at her lips "…I haven't changed at all, have I?"

…

"No."

…That didn't sound like an amused 'no'. She cringed inwardly at his blunt reply.

Okay, so…

"Looks like…I'm the only one among us who has forgotten…"

No, wait. Voreka felt a pending frown on her brow. It meant that he was the one who had known all along, and had not said a thing!

"…You had liked me."

She…had to be hearing things.

Her pink eyes flickered over to him, seated on the ground across from her.

That half-smirk. A joke?

"…Are you messing with me?" Voreka asked suspiciously. Nonetheless, her mind was reeling as it was trying to process this. "Hmph…the only guy I remember liking is…Haku…"

…

When she looked back up again she found him staring back with unreadable dark eyes.

His soft voice, "…Haku is…"

'_The opposite of you?' No, somehow I don't think I should._

"…He's the boy who helped me learn how to handle throwing needles" because she had been so bad at it "and he was…my…closest person." Although that had been a bit one-sided… But Haku's kindness…was something she'll carry on forever.

That's right. His influence had been that great.

Voreka glanced up. The expression Itachi was wearing had not changed.

"…'was'…?"

…

He really picks up the awkward bits, doesn't he?

She returned his stare and found that she didn't need to say anything.

A small, cruel smirk formed on his lips. "…A pity…" His eyes narrowed slightly, so that he was peering at her through his dark lashes.

"…I would have killed him, myself."

…

Voreka fell back, clutching her heart.

Incredible. He-… She struggled to breathe.

He hates her _that _much!?

Coughing dryly, the kunoichi lifted back up to a sitting position. "…This is a speculation but…" Voreka looked aside and laughed nervously "…I somehow pissed you off that very first time we met, too, didn't I?"

…

"…'Itachi' is a strange name for a girl."

Voreka blinked in confusion. "Heh heh…what-…?"

…

Itachi had closed his eyes, his countenance one suggesting of extreme, held-back irritation.

"Unless-…you mean-…"

Voreka covered her mouth. His expression…was to an unpleasant memory?

She was…

…_soooo_ dead.

Was that why she had no recollection of their meeting whatsoever? Because she had mistaken him for a girl!?

"I am…_sooo_ sorry…" Maybe if she tried groveling, he'd forgive her? "I had no idea!"

"I mean-!" Voreka flinched and stumbled over her own words "I had no idea that's how it was! Mother only told me that there's someone I should meet! And-…"

She thought she remembered something.

"Are you that sister-senpai who kept pinching my cheeks for things I say…?" Or, more like, _everything _she had said.

"…"

He didn't respond, still with his eyes closed. If she didn't know better, she'd think that he was avoiding looking at her.

…

"…You _are_, aren't you?"

Voreka curled up on her side – her good side – and tried not to think about it anymore.

Geez. What a drastic difference.

After a long pause, she heard him speak.

"…Your condition…" He was looking at her through his long lashes. "…How will you address it…"

Ah…she had been wondering when he'd get to that.

The fact that all the burden of continuing the Loricha clan's lineage had been laid down on her. Her absolute duty to make the right decision.

"…That's obvious, isn't it…?" Voreka asked herself, getting up from the ground. "There is only one option…"

Forced smile. Not a problem.

Bracing herself, the green-haired kunoichi laid her hands on her hips and declared down to him.

"I will live forever."

…

"I said…I will live forever…" Voreka glanced away for a moment, and looked back down at him, confused. "…Is that something you have people telling you all the time?"

"…"

He made no reaction at first. Slowly, Itachi raised the knuckles of one hand to his lips. Although he didn't show any outward signs of it, she suspected that he was laughing at her outrageous statement. Or something.

"…I won't…make my daughter go through the same…" Voreka said softly to herself. "So the answer is simple… I will just need to outlive my mother." Despite still being an Anomalous.

She'll…worry about the details later.

"…Hmph." Itachi opened his eyes again, slanting a steel glance up at her as he also rose up to a stand. "…You will die sooner than you think."

_Haha…_

Voreka bit her lower lip, tensing up as he passed before her, and causing the pain from her wounds to intensify.

"…Itachi-san…" It was easier saying it to his back, but…still… "What…kind of woman are you searching for?"

…

He paused in his steps.

She withdrew a bit as Itachi turned around, his expression unreadable.

In a smooth and languid motion, he held out one arm, giving his hand a little wave. As if beckoning for her to come closer.

…_Uh oh._

Itachi's eyes narrowed when the kunoichi glanced to her side for anything to hide behind.

Okay, she really didn't need to panic like that. Hopefully.

Voreka's pink eyes were twitching as she drew a step nearer to the long-haired shinobi.

She felt him grab her arm.

And she might have been spun in more than a full circle before her back came up against him.

His hand was gripping tightly on the crook of her arm, his thumb pressing against her elbow.

Itachi could snap her arm in an instant if he so desired. She couldn't pull away.

"…I am…" he told her softly, threateningly "…losing my patience..."

…

"Will I not do?"

She just…said that, didn't she?

A pause. Voreka felt his breath on her skin.

"…_You don't know what you're saying."_

He let go.

'_You don't know what you're saying.'_

She didn't get what _he_ was saying, either. Would it kill him to _make sense_ or to clarify himself once in a while?

"Hmph." Voreka hadn't moved an inch. So, she wasn't strong enough? If that's how it is…

The kunoichi bit back her wounded pride. Turning, she pointed at him condemningly.

This time, Itachi was frowning even before she opened her mouth to speak.

"I will-…I am going to live and die with you even if it's the last thing I do."

Even though she was faltering already.

One of his thin dark eyebrows had arched up slightly. Like he couldn't decide between looking annoyed or incredulous.

…She couldn't believe she just declared that.

"…Hn." A smirk crept over his lips. He had tilted his face aside, but his sharp, mocking eyes remained on her. "Is that so?"

It was a rhetorical question.

"…Even if you will regret it," Itachi said softly, promising her, "...I will not allow you to take that back."


	29. to be loving someone like me

**Warning: THIS IS A MATURE CHAPTER – PLUS OR MINUS FLUFF? I claim no responsibility for bleeding eyes or ears...or anything else you come up with for that matter.**

I'm really relieved some readers still think Itachi here is in character (up to this point at least)! Really, really thank you for that. It's been extremely hard after finding out about, say, his _brother complex_ and his…_complete detachment_ from romance -.-' (after which I had to change my writing strategy…I originally had never planned to do his POV _at all, _bah but now I have to fill in for his 'romantic' side) I am still so terribly worried if I can keep him in character as much as possible for the next…um...mainly just this chapter I guess…

…T.T and still crying…

Oh, the story's not done yet! I will get you that finale, of course. In good time.

* * *

**Chapter 29 – "to be loving someone like me"**

* * *

"…You have returned…" the tall woman with Prussian-blue hair who had waited outside the hideout had observed.

She said nothing else and remained motionless as well as expressionless, greeting them both with her tranquil silence.

"…It's rare to see you in person, Konan," Itachi finally replied.

"…I wanted to see her. May I?" the woman's clear blue eyes directed themselves at the green-haired kunoichi behind him.

"…" The Sharingan master had closed his eyes as he passed by Konan, telling her coolly, "…Do as you wish."

This lovely and elegant figure of a woman, Konan…simply continued staring at her until Voreka began to wonder if something was wrong.

"…This is the first time we've spoken…I'm-er…I'm…" Voreka didn't know what to say.

"Did you get hurt?"

Voreka blinked at the unexpectedness of that question, as well as at the quality of the woman's refined voice.

She followed the direction of the blue-haired woman's gaze. She had injuries all over, of course, and they were hardly invisible.

"Oh, these-…these are-…" Voreka hesitated "…an accident."

"Come with me."

There was no ill-will she sensed from the cloaked woman, but somehow Konan's serene presence alone was enough to make her nervous.

Konan led her inside the dark tunnel of their hideout's entrance. She lifted up one sleeve, and a sheet of white paper marked by symbols fluttered out. It flew up as if by a mysterious force and pasted itself at on top of the entrance, reactivating the gate's invisibility seal.

"…This way…"

The footsteps echoed off the cold, jagged walls of the tunnel. Well, only her footsteps. Konan moved with such a delicate grace that she might as well be gliding.

"…I was surprised when he…of all people…decided to recruit someone without notice…"

The woman was speaking to her, without glancing back. "…You are the heiress to a clan with extensive connections to many other clans…it makes sense…"

An uneasy feeling. Konan paused before an opening in the tunnel. The blue-haired woman turned slightly and took one arm out of her sleeves, signaling that she should follow.

"…Your influence…" the taller woman was saying, as she reached up and drew down a neat stack of clothing. She held it out to Voreka. "…Will you use it for our cause?"

...

"…Many friends mean many enemies," Voreka said carefully. She was rather anxious about the woman's clear, steady gaze. It felt like she could see through her.

"…You don't need to worry about that…" Konan told her calmly. "…From now on, within this organization is the safest place to be…"

The uneasy feeling remained with her. What was their cause?

Voreka didn't get a chance to ask. Konan's blue eyes flickered up to the white flower – which looked like an origami rose – she wore on her Prussian-blue hair. "…Pain is calling me."

The woman drew back a step, raising both hands before her in a seal formation.

"…Search for Kakuzu; he will get you medical supplies…"

Her cloaked form dissembled in a scattering of white sheets of paper, fluttering out of the room in an instant.

So…

Voreka placed the Akatsuki's uniform under the crook of her arm and peered down both ends of the silent corridor as she exited the room.

Hmm…

She was supposed to find this 'Kakuzu' character in this labyrinth? It wasn't like…an initiation test in disguise, was it?

…

* * *

The first living being she encountered was that masked man, Tobi, who happened to come across her right as he rounded a corner.

"Ah, you-!"

"Ahhhh! It's you!" he cut her off with an even more awkward greeting of his own. "Come with me!"

The next thing she knew, she was being rather shoved in the direction he had came from.

"What-!?"

She had wanted to ask him some questions, but what-!?

"_FUCK!_" Voreka heard someone's voice curse down the tunnel ahead. "_Damn it! Not THAT tight!"_

That sounded like-

"Will you shut the _hell up_!? What do you think the leader's gonna say if he finds out about you two screwing around!?"

-Deidara's voice. And someone else was with him.

"_DAMN IT! I SAID NOT THAT TIGHT, UN! GET THE HELL OUT!"_

A cloaked man skidded backwards out of the room where the commotion was coming from, bowing down to a crouch just as several plates which followed him out smashed into the wall behind him.

"Tsch." The one who got kicked out glowered menacingly back into the open doorway.

"Oh my," Voreka heard Tobi comment from behind her.

The blank, white pupils of Kakuzu glared over upon noticing the two bystanders.

Voreka felt a tremble run down her arms.

"I will kill him. This isn't in my job description, you know. Patching up ungrateful tantrum-throwers just because I'm in charge of supplies."

…

So that-…that's Kakuzu…

"It's okay, it's okay," Tobi flapped his hands dismissively. "She can handle this from here."

…_Huh-!?_

Before she could react, Tobi had pushed her in front of the open doorway.

The fork which flew at her missed by a mere inch, lodging itself into the doorframe next to her head as she fell against it.

…

Voreka sank to her knees, clutching her heart.

That was close.

"What-! You-!" Deidara's dark-rimmed eyes were wide in disbelief. He glared a death glare at the masked man who peeked briefly into the room before fleeing.

"TOBI, I _WILL _FUCKING KILL YOU!" he roared.

The blonde coughed hard, his breathing coming out loud and shallow.

…

"…Dei…dara…?" Voreka asked unsurely, not getting up just yet.

His hair was let down, disheveled, falling against his bare chest. His right arm was wrapped in a black cast, reaching all the way to his shoulder and the black straps wound around his neck. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, as if he had missed a few days of rest, even though it was a bed he was sitting up in.

Hm…but it had only been a day since-…since then…

Deidara managed to calm himself down, noting her observations. "Pathetic state, isn't it? Yeah."

She blinked up at him, and he felt his eyes widen again at her stare.

Damn it. The blonde cast his glance aside.

He couldn't look at her.

But she had risen up. Deidara clenched the blanket tightly as she approached.

He had lost to Itachi, again. There was no way he can face her – especially her – right now. He'd rather die than to see her pity.

"Um…that…" She was poking at the section of his left arm which wasn't natural, much to his surprise. "That looks…painful. You…" Her gaze trailed to the other scars and obvious stitches on his upper body, which was exposed.

Deidara flinched and averted his face.

Damn it. Why the hell was _he_ the one feeling embarrassed!?

"…_Why!?_" he demanded under his breath. _"Why aren't you disgusted by me!?"_

He-…

"Uhm…What are you doing?" Deidara asked incredulously. She had picked up a comb from the floor and was sorting through his loosened hair.

"…Returning a favor," the kunoichi replied. He was rendered speechless.

T-this girl-…

Was completely at ease around him.

"Deidara-chan, you had an uneasy past, too, didn't you? That's why…you were nice to me since the beginning."

He blinked his blue eyes.

"That's why you came to rescue me…I-…"

No, that wasn't exactly-

He turned to her, but he was struck dumb by her words nonetheless.

"Thank you…"

Holy crap. Now she's _crying_ before him-! Smiling softly while tears were clearly dropping from her eyes.

Shit! Was it even possible for her to make it more awkward than this!?

"Oh…_oh_." The kunoichi seemed to have realized her own tears only then. "Heh…what's going on with me lately?"

Deidara winced his eyes shut. At least he'd dodged that one.

"No…you're wrong, Un." It's fine. He was good at putting up pretenses. Looking back at her, he shot her his usual, trademark smirk. "Whatever made you think _that_?"

…

"…Sorry…" she apologized, running her fingers through her pastel-green hair. "Maybe I…you remind me of Hideka-sensei…"

Oh...that Jounin of the amazons? That's right…they had looked alike.

"Hey…" Deidara said idly, waving her over to his side. "Do I really look that similar to your sensei, hn?"

"…Yeah…" she admitted slowly "it's kind of…awkward…"

So that's what it was. The blonde made a sulking face, muttering beneath his breath, "…_What the hell…?_" She…didn't see him as a guy at all.

"…I don't get why that bastard Itachi got so furious if it's like this…" Deidara confessed moodily to himself.

She looked at him curiously and he flinched again.

"…The fight between you two…was it in any way related to me?" she asked, a touch of fear appearing in her pale pink eyes.

Deidara stared back, quite dumbfounded.

…No way…it couldn't be…

"Are you…serious?" he wanted to know. Exaggerating, he answered her, "Itachi might as well be the most jealous guy alive! …Yeah." At least, he hoped that was an exaggeration, for her sake.

Her inner turmoil was apparent in the way her expression changed from one of surprise, to thoughtfulness, then to confusion.

"…But that doesn't…quite answer my question…?"

Deidara shielded his mouth with the back of left hand. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to keep his jaw from dropping, and dislodging while at that.

She-…she's really-…

Smoothing his facial expression, the blonde missing-nin breathed in a deep breath.

Then Deidara gave her a charming smirk, beckoning her even closer with his hand. "…I will let you in on a secret, Un."

It would be his revenge.

"…I will only tell you this once, so give me your ear, yeah."

…

She had hesitated, briefly, but the kunoichi leaned over since it seemed like he really wanted to whisper something to her.

He was smirking in truth. "Hey, this is our secret, alright? …Un." Deidara encircled her neck with his arm and drew her lips down to his before she could make sense of it.

He kissed her, in a way a man would to a woman who was out of his reach.

This girl would go on to break many hearts if no one claimed her. Therefore whoever claims her had to be the strongest.

…It wasn't him…

He felt her push against him, and he didn't keep her.

Deidara released the kunoichi, who drew back while gasping for breath. He smirked despite the way he was feeling right then. "Now you'll know, yeah."

* * *

His eyes narrowed in irritation.

She had fallen asleep. On his bed.

It had been an unspoken arrangement that she'd be staying by him, however…

Itachi finished attempting to towel dry his long, damp black hair. He flung the bloodied towel aside.

The wounds he'd received from that battle were still bleeding.

…

For a long time Itachi mutely stared down at the oblivious girl.

She wasn't even lying down properly, simply sprawled atop the covers as if she'd fainted into a deep slumber the instant she laid down.

And she was taking up the entire space, of course.

…

Slowly, Itachi reached down to touch her wet, pastel-green hair.

"…At least be a little worried. Hmph…"

He considered leaving her be. It was really cold in those caverns on days like these, however. With her hair like that…

…

Itachi had to move her if he wanted to get the covers out from under her. The instant he actually made contact with her skin, she snapped awake.

"AH-!" It was a half-choked scream, with the girl scooting back, away from him, with her eyes reflecting shock and fear.

Unbelievable. She hadn't even said anything yet. And already Itachi felt the start of a frown furrowing his brows.

He watched her intently as she gathered her bearings, realizing what situation she was in.

"I'm s-s-sor-"

It wasn't her usual display of arbitrary fear. Itachi narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her newfound anxiety.

That was when he noticed.

…

…Straightening up coldly, he issued her a poisonous order.

"Come here."

She recognized that tone of voice. Her crystalline pink eyes were avoiding him.

"…I will not ask again," Itachi added in his velvety voice. A threat.

She bit her lip, still hesitating. But she had no choice but to obey.

The girl squeezed her eyes close briefly, before garnering her courage to rise, coming around to face him. She faced him squarely. "Sorry…I was so…tired…"

He ignored that.

Reaching out, Itachi clasped one hand on the back of her neck, his other hand tilting her chin up.

…

"…Who was it?" he looked up at her widened eyes and asked softly, maliciously.

"…Pardon…?" she breathed out.

…He allowed a faint smirk form on his lips. She recognized that as an ill-omen, as well.

"…Your lips are bruised, Mezhari-kun… I am asking you who..."

A slight hesitation. But it was enough to speak for itself.

"…My nervous habit of biting my lip, you mean…?"

…

He felt it…again… Such…dangerous sensations he had never needed to possess as a shinobi, even less as a missing-nin.

She…dared to lie to him.

"…I have been too soft on you, I suppose…"

He had been able to let her have her way thus far. But lying to him regarding this…she…

It only took a low sweep of his leg. She fell, and he had her pinned down before she could blink.

Itachi said into her ear, "…Do I need to force my existence onto you?"

His eyes had slimmed cruelly as he asked her that. She…had never taken him seriously. Will continue refusing to take him seriously.

"No…"

She sounded like she was about to cry.

He wouldn't mind. He…wanted it…

…Her suffering.

No one else will do.

"I've…"

Itachi stared down unblinkingly. The girl had shut her eyes with a frown. It seemed like she wanted to say something, and it was taking a tremendous willpower to do so.

"When you defeated me that final time…I've already decided to give my life to you… You're the one who had defeated me…"

…

He shut his eyes.

As usual, she was going on about something different altogether. Hmph. And even so…as usual…

She…really knew just what to say to make him see himself as sadistic.

…

Slowly, Itachi drew himself away.

Fine…that's fine…

…She can just keep carving up his hollow self like she'd always done and give him the shallow illusion of being alive.

…

Itachi slid his eyes open, finding her still in the same position, and refusing to meet his gaze.

A faint smirk formed on his lips, but if she'd looked up, she might've been able to tell that it didn't contain any trace of amusement. "…Have you not started regretting?"

She came out of her listless mood, casting a blank glance up at him. The girl then braced herself up on the edge of the bed. She rolled herself into a cocoon, taking all the bed coverings with her. Her lack of response was answer enough.

…

Itachi blinked his gaze away and went to the door.

"Don't go."

He paused, in slight annoyance. So she had known he would go find that fool with a death wish and she was trying to stop him.

"…Please, I am…tired…"

Itachi glanced back blankly. Did she think that was a valid argument?

Her growing disturbance, he was able to sense it from across the room. The mood was very different. She wasn't her usual self.

…"Hn" the black-haired missing-nin scoffed to himself.

…It was like he had allowed one mere girl to-… Itachi shut out that thought with a frown. Any more, and he'd be testing his patience again.

"…Fine," he said, his voice coming out naturally cold. "As you wish."

He was feeling quite weary, himself. But it was just plain reprisal on his part to choose to lay himself down on the other end of the bed instead of resting on the futon.

It was technically _his_ room.

"Itachi…" she said after a pensive pause, to his back.

The missing-nin didn't respond. Whatever she wanted to say, he didn't want to hear it at that moment.

So quietly, like she didn't want him to hear it.

"…_I…want you…"_

…Itachi chose to shut his eyes.

He might as well ignore her.

* * *

She…didn't even understand herself anymore.

It had been so cold…so cold, and yet her skin undeniably burned from his contact.

Yes, she feared him…feared him terribly.

But it wasn't the same as repulsion. He-…

Had always forgiven her.

And he'd been the one who had defeated her.

…

Voreka blinked. It wasn't possible that he was already asleep.

She shut her eyes and frowned.

What the hell was she thinking?

He'd better not have heard that. For her to have said something disagreeable like that so suddenly.

…

…Itachi…had been angry. Just as Deidara had predicted. But jealousy? For…?

Maybe she was wrong.

Voreka let out a soundless sigh.

As if she'd be able to get any rest with this mess in her head.

Unthinkingly, the kunoichi reached over.

Itachi's hand clapped around her wrist, preventing her.

"Don't." A warning. A deadly one.

His grip was hurting her. He didn't turn to look at her.

"Sorry…I'm sorry…I don't know what came over me." Voreka winced from his hold.

He didn't let go.

Oh no. Panicking wasn't going to help.

"Sorry…I won't do it again…so…"

He yanked, hard.

Voreka found herself flat beneath him again. One of his hands pressed on the center of her chest as he bent down, asking her with that soft, mesmerizing voice, "…This…"

"…Are you sure this is what you want…?" his warm breath questioned next to her ear.

_Goddess_…her heart… She was sure he could feel her heart skipping erratically in the center of his palm.

And she couldn't reply. Not if he asked her like _that_.

That small, knowing smirk was on his lips as Itachi pulled back to watch her reaction.

Damn it…was he only mocking her!?

Nonetheless…it was a blush which heated her cheeks.

He noticed.

The kunoichi tried to draw away. That position was too much for her. Her heart-…

The hand he had placed over her heart was preventing her. Shit.

"I don't know…" Voreka winced and tried to maintain her breathing. "I don't know…"

She choked. He was sliding his free hand up her leg, deliberately slow, lifting the hem of her tunic while his observant gaze remained on her face.

_Ah-ahhhh-!_

"…Tell me to stop…" Itachi's smooth voice advised her coolly.

Voreka clasped the hand on her leg. "S-s-st-stop-!"

She couldn't handle it. She couldn't.

"I-…I can do it myself!" she snapped between ragged breaths. Was that a momentary surprise which flickered over his intense dark eyes? He allowed himself to be shoved away.

…

…_Or so I said, but-…_

The kunoichi leaned in on herself at the edge of the bed.

She was trembling too hard.

"…Sorry, but can you…possibly…_not_ keep looking?" Voreka muttered nervously, enduring Itachi's stare on her back.

Oh, what was she saying!? It was clearly impossible!

"I-…I don't think I can do this, after all…" She cringed inwardly, rising up and edging away…

And backed right into him.

…

She felt the back of her dark green tunic tear from the collar down to mid-back.

"K-AHHHH!" Twisting away, she screamed, attempting to cover up her exposed chest. Except, ironically, her arms were caught above her elbows where the fabric of her split tunic had lodged down at.

She screamed again, a half-strangled scream this time, as he forced her back to the cold wall, pressing himself against her.

"D-damn you!" Voreka cursed at him, banging her forehead against his.

Ow. Damn it. He just really had to be wearing that forehead protector all the time, didn't he?

"…Hmph. That's fine…" His breath on her neck. She bit back a shudder as he reached down and snapped off her panties. She paled and struggled desperately, but he held her still.

The kunoichi hissed in a breath as Itachi hoisted her up roughly against the uneven surface of the wall. That was going to bruise.

"Ow…OW!"

He had bitten her on her left collarbone the same instant he thrust into her. His breath was hot, and his teeth had broken through her skin.

"_Bastard_," Voreka huffed indignantly, wincing in pain. "_Bastard. Damn you."_

Itachi's smirking eyes peered up at her through his long, dense lashes. He moved, thrusting himself even deeper this time. She gasped out.

Smiling with light triumph, Itachi told her softly, with the hint of a threat present in his words, "…As long as I'm the only one you'll curse…"

* * *

"Where are you going, Senpai!? Isn't it still too soon for you to be moving around!?"

Deidara leapt lightly onto the back of his clay bird, balancing himself with one arm. He glared his blue eye back down at Tobi.

"What do you think!? _RUNNING FOR MY LIFE, YEAH!"_

"What-!? Wait! SENPAIIIII!"

…

…Not _again!?_


	30. Have you lost

**Warning: THIS IS ALSO A…SEMI-MATURE CHAPTER. **Sorry, it's just…hard as heck trying to picture Itachi like that. Kills my brain. Ay.

Thank you for such generous praise and for giving this fic a chance; it truly, truly means a lot to me!

* * *

**Chapter 30 – "Have you lost"**

* * *

She was…trying to untangle her hair from the fishnet when he entered.

Voreka had awoken to find herself alone. She hadn't really expected to confront him again so soon.

…

Itachi spared a glance back at the katana – his katana – which had just embedded itself into the wall of the corridor behind him.

…For a long moment it looked like he was debating whether or not to retaliate. Finally, he looked back to her with an indifferent gaze.

The raven-haired missing-nin waved her over lightly with one hand, much like the way he'd done that morning before she had declared that she would follow him forever.

Like she was throwing some childish tantrum.

…

Okay, don't gawk. That would only prove him right.

"…You don't want anything to eat…?" he asked inquisitively, but with that deadpan expression.

The chair. Itachi sidestepped that too.

"_No!_" the pink-eyed kunoichi drawled venomously, as it was the most obvious thing she could say. "I'm angry! My throat hurts! These clothes are a few sizes too large for me! I can't find my shuriken and I'm running low on senbon needles! _On top of that the wound in my side has re-opened and I am bleeding!_"

She was huffing, out of breath, as one of his eyebrows arched up slightly at her outburst.

…

"D-don't follow me!" Voreka snapped, rounding past the stationary form of Itachi.

It took a few tries, but she managed to pull the katana loose. She wasn't about to go anywhere without being properly armed, at least.

He was still watching her, of course.

…

Voreka didn't turn to look. She couldn't really understand what kind of feeling it was which made both sides of her face heat up.

"Argh! Don't come to find me, either!"

* * *

It really didn't seem like he was going to follow her. Why would he, anyway…

But she had been so preoccupied from checking over her shoulder that she'd almost walked straight into the person who happened to cross the intersection between the two corridors at the same time she did.

Needless to say, Voreka was quite startled when she looked back up front to see Kisame's towering figure before her.

The blue-haired, half-scowling missing-nin glanced down at her sideways, wordlessly. Judging from the streaks of dirt on his Akatsuki cloak and the way he was still shouldering the bandaged form of his broadsword, her guess was that he had more or less just returned.

Kisame obviously did see her, but regardless, he faced back ahead as if pretending he didn't.

Maybe if he ignored it…it'll go away…

…

"Kisame-san."

Aw.

"I am too tired to deal with you right now," the shark man told her flatly, in annoyance, pivoting away quickly so that his Samehada almost managed to swat her head off, if she had not reacted in time.

"Ummm…can you at least tell me which direction Kakuzu's room is in? Or wherever I'm likely to come across him?"

The shark man only grunted irritably. It was in the direction he was heading in. Definitely not putting up with her coming along.

Well, of course, she was tagging along behind him anyway.

"And _why _the hell are you following me…?"

She seemed to give it a bit of thought. "…Because I might as well…unless you let me know better?"

…

"You sure are hella annoying. Why aren't you with Itachi-san or something?"

"…Must I?" she replied, and the shark man could detect the frown in her voice.

"Sure," Kisame said, half-turning to look at her "…you never know if some idiot will just _randomly snap_ and decide to _kill you_ in this place."

From the way her pink eyes went blank, it would seem that she took his word for it. But apparently she missed the point of his threat.

Or maybe she didn't, subconsciously. Because the girl reached down, maybe also subconsciously, to the hilt of the sheathed katana at her side.

"…I can defend myself…"

"Hoho…" Kisame stopped completely, letting his Samehada drop to a stand next to him. "With that little knife, eh? Why don't you attempt to come at m-"

The blade of the katana scratched the metal surface of his headband as he threw his head back to duck its flight.

Okay, so the little bitch had taken his taunt seriously. But-

"DO YOU SERIOUSLY WANT TO DIE!?" Kisame roared thunderously.

Voreka winced as his booming outcry echoed down the dark tunnel. She seriously wasn't a sword person. To have caused an accident like that simply by drawing out the sword too fast. "No, I-…!"

"_Who the_ fuck_!? Shut the HELL up! Some of us are trying to PRAY in here!"_

Her attention was diverted by voices much further down the tunnel.

"…_You mean just you?"_

"_WHAT, are you all against me, now!? Try saying that to my FACE, you retard!"_

A loud commotion answered that.

"_FUCK! Not while I'm still in midst of my ritual, YOU DAMN ASSHOLE!"_

A long string of obscenities followed suit.

…

"Aw. Those two are back, too?" Kisame looked back and snorted at the sight of the green-haired girl trying to reach the hilt of the katana now stuck in the ceiling wall without jumping. She wasn't tall enough.

"Crap." Voreka doubled up, wrapping her arms across her abdomen. Ah, the pain in her side was tearing at her. She hissed in a breath. "…I have to go find-"

"THAT FUCKIN' BASTARD! WHICH WAY DID HE GO!?"

Aw, just great. Kisame made a mental eye-roll as the fellow Akatsuki member came trudging their way, dragging his ridiculously long scythe laboriously behind him with both hands.

That would be Hidan, his silver hair tousled and two trails of dark blood trickling down either corner of his mouth.

"…Not this way," Kisame answered with a tinge of irritation, knowing that nothing will get through to the man anyway when he's off in a rage.

"WHICH _WAY_!?" Hidan spat back angrily, proving him right.

"…" The shark man decided he wasn't in the mood to deal with a pissed off freak of nature at the moment. He stepped to one side and pointed down the corridor with the tip of his Samehada. "That way. If you go now you might just catch up to him, Hidan."

Not even a word of thanks. But the silver-haired man paused in his tracks when he came across the watching girl behind Kisame.

"Heeeeey" Hidan drawled in mild surprise "you're that chick from that creepy clan! Did you kill them all off!?"

The kunoichi looked up at him apprehensively. Not that he minded being feared.

"…Hidan-san-"

"It's Hidan-'SAMA' to _YOU!_" he snarled.

…

"Hidan-sama-"

"_WHAT_!?" Hidan snapped in response.

"It's going to fall-"

And its butt landed smack right into the joint at his left shoulder. The katana's blade made a deep scratch on his ear when it slid off.

…

"UOoOoh." Kisame couldn't resist saying, "_Now_ you're in for it."

Voreka edged away cautiously as the silver-haired Hidan grew stock still, his eyes shadowed as he inclined his head downwards.

…Why did he have to choose exactly that spot to stand in and _not_ notice what was hanging directly over his head?

"…_You_…"

An ominous aura. The kunoichi made another step backward and found her retreat abruptly sliced off when the long, red fangs of his scythe smashed into the wall behind her, biting off chunks of stone.

"_Now that you've hurt my body…"_ Hidan said murderously _"…you have to take responsibility…"_

He gave the rope attached to his scythe a violent tug and the kunoichi dropped flat to the ground, to escape being severed in half. Her sleeve below her right shoulder split open as his weapon drew blood.

Alright. What were the chances that Itachi wouldn't find out that he had been present to witness and had not done anything about it? Hmm what were the chances…

Kisame scowled, picking up his sword. "I don't think you want to be doing that, Hidan."

"_What._ did you just say to me?" Hidan's red-violet eyes narrowed into hating slits.

…

Kisame frowned in exasperation. "Will you stop being so goddamn aggressive first thing in the morning!?" Technically, it wasn't that early anymore, but the shark man was just back from a long and weary journey…and now he had to put up with _this?_

"I CAN'T FUCKIN' HELP IT IF COLD WEATHER MAKES ME EXTREMELY IRRITABLE! FUCK!" the man cursed back, winding up the rope of his scythe as a sign that he _will _make the stinkin' fish take that back.

…

"So does hot weather, wet, dry, wind, snow – you name it."

Kisame blocked Hidan's scythe with his Samehada.

"You want a _piece of_ _me,_ you little piece of shit!?"

"Hey, you," the shark man addressed the girl, "if you know what's good for you, then _get the hell outta here!_"

"DON'T FUCKIN' IGNORE ME!"

Her ears rang as the two S-rank criminals clashed weapons again.

…For the Akatsuki to attempt killing each other on a regular basis…was it, like…a _thing?_

"Tsch, I take my eyes off him for a minute and this is what happens."

Kakuzu came up behind her. He didn't seem particularly interested in breaking up the quarrel, however.

"…I think that was my fault." Voreka gripped over the new bleeding cut on her arm as she reached down with the other hand to pick up the katana. "…Or maybe this thing's cursed. Heh heh."

The half-masked man was frowning. His frowns were scary. Maybe it was due to the fact that his eyes were strangely pupil-less, so it was impossible to tell whether he was anything else but angry.

It seemed like he was glaring at the cut on her arm.

"You have no idea how close you are to being cursed, yourself," Kakuzu informed her.

…_Ah…_

"Kakuzu-sama…"

"Kakuzu-'_Sama'?_" he turned to ask, stressing that honorific at the end.

Voreka hesitated. She didn't know if she'd somehow managed to offend him or not. So complicated…

"…Would you be able to get me any anesthetics? And some surgical string." The kunoichi winced. "…I am in so much pain right now."

* * *

"There. Take anything you need." Kakuzu glanced back to see that she had taken an interest in the two oversized windmill shuriken strung by two ropes from the ceiling. She had probably never seen ones that big, considering that they would be too large for her height to handle.

"…You're such a kid." And he felt like some goddamn babysitter. Seriously. Tsch.

The kunoichi blinked and glanced at him in askance.

"Alright. Just how much do you require?" he questioned professionally.

She thought about it. Then she lifted the right corner of her oversized shirt a bit, just enough for him to view the bleeding slash in her side.

…

"You're crying over _that _little scratch?"

"…This little 'scratch' will keep spreading itself at this rate. Sorry if I have no willpower…"

An Anomalous, that's right. What a wretched existence.

Kakuzu went to a shelf. "At least I don't hear you whining like som-"

Speaking of the devil, Hidan came staggering into the storage room with a loud _'bang' _of the door.

"_Shit!" _the silver-haired troublemaker cursed, supporting himself with one arm against the wall while the other was cradling his stomach. _"Fuck, that hurt!"_

Hidan reached over to the nearest bottle on the shelf beside him and chugged it down in one gulp.

…

"What the _hell_ did you just drink!?" Kakuzu asked murderously.

It took Hidan approximately a fraction of a second to try to make sense of the label before tossing the empty container over his shoulder. It smashed into fragments upon impact with the wall.

…

"He's just playing dead. Unfortunately."

"…Ah…"

"You've disinfected already, haven't you?" Kakuzu glanced back at her wound. "That looks like a cut that's re-opened."

"No…" She winced in pain, one eye closed, as she glanced at it as well. "I may run a lot of fevers, but I don't really recall ever getting wounds infected."

Hmm…he supposed that made sense. An Anomalous' lifespan will be a heck of a lot shorter if they didn't even have basic immunity to infections. Such blood must have taken generations of careful breeding.

"Aw, alright. I will only do this once. Here," Kakuzu said, waving her closer with one hand.

Confusion and unease appeared on her face.

"Don't worry. I don't hurt women or children unless they have a bounty more than ten million over their heads." Heh, well, his partner – who should be waking up any minute – typically takes care of that part anyhow.

"…Uhm…but…?"

"Tsch," Kakuzu clucked his tongue in impatience. "Do you want me to fix your cut or not!?"

"…Er…okay…"

She stepped closer, her pink eyes widening as black tendrils snaked out from beneath the sleeve of his cloak.

"Ah-…OW Ow Oow ow!"

"Are you really that goddamn sensitive!?" Kakuzu asked incredulously. It was over in less than three seconds, but the girl had hurt enough to be grasping his outstretched arm with both hands like that.

The kunoichi answered with a strained voice, "…Don't know. Don't care. Rather not think about that right now."

"Heh heh… _Niiiiice_."

They both spared a look in askance at Hidan, who had propped himself up slightly to look.

Deciding to ignore his idiot of a partner, Kakuzu went to get a medical kit for the girl, tossing it for her to catch. "You can treat the minor ones on your own. Oh, and this."

He tossed the bottle to her. She looked at it curiously.

"Only take it if you don't even plan to be sensing out chakra for a few hours. It's a really powerful anesthetic."

"…Thank-"

"Don't look at me like that!" he growled irritably. "I'm just doing my job."

"…Ohhh what's this?" Hidan interrupted, snatching the bottle from the green-haired girl. He held it up, out of her reach, and he was clearly advantaged in terms of height.

"Argh! Let go!" the kunoichi protested when she realized that the silver-haired Akatsuki was messing with her.

Heh. They were like kids. What a nuisance.

"Stop! Let go of-" She stopped abruptly. Hidan glanced over his shoulder and saw what had caused such a profound reaction.

Uchiha Itachi.

"Hey," Kisame said from behind the Sharingan user. "Have any of you seen Deidara around? We're supposed to assemble for a meeting soon."

The Uchiha's red eyes flicked up at what Hidan was holding up in his hand. It hadn't even been a glare. In fact, a glare from anyone would have set the aggressive man off, but in Itachi's case, a speaking glance was effective enough.

"Tsh." Hidan tossed the bottle to the red-eyed man, who lifted one hand to catch it.

"…Ah…" Why to him? Voreka dropped her arms to her sides.

Hidan let out a hiccup. But otherwise, a heavy silence seemed to have descended.

"…" Itachi's silent gaze lifted from the label on the bottle. And fixed upon her coldly.

With one powerful fling of his arm, he sent the thing shattering against the far wall.

…

Voreka remained still and speechless. _…What…? …Just why?_

"Come, Kisame," the long-haired shinobi said to his partner. Itachi cast a last, apathetic glance before leading out of the room.

"…_Yeeeahhh_…I _like_ that…" Hidan commented, still with that idiotic grin.

…

Kakuzu scowled in annoyance. "What the hell _did _you just drink!?"

* * *

…Ahhh…

It-…it was impossible to remain angry at him if _he_ seemed mad. Totally unfair…

And she didn't even understand. The man gets angry over the strangest things.

"We are heading out first thing tomorrow." Itachi's voice made her betray into a start.

"…Why are we adding fishing poles?" Voreka asked in confusion.

"…"

Itachi glanced up to the side at her.

It was she who had offered to treat that visible wound on the side of his head, when he had returned from their meeting. But at the same time she was trying to distance the rest of herself as far from him as possible and had frozen in that stance, with one hand outstretched.

"…Hmph." His expression seemed to be a mocking one when he told her smoothly in his arrogant voice, "Don't force yourself."

…This bastard.

"…Can you _not _make light talk while I'm suffering here…!?"

Voreka cringed from his silent scrutiny and added, "…Please?"

A pregnant pause.

…

Softly, so softly, she heard him say, almost molded into a question, _"…You were the one who wanted me."_

Ah, that voice was a sin which latched onto a part of her which responded against her will.

The kunoichi pulled back quickly, feeling strangely suffocated.

"…I. wasn't. in. my right. mind." No, she couldn't have been. No way.

"Ah-!" Voreka flinched as the raven-haired man reached out and took hold of her wrist.

Geez, what was she thinking, just standing around like that!?

"Stop…" she seethed out. Damn it, he was drawing her to him, deliberately slow. And for the life of her she wasn't strong enough to pull her arm free. Ouch!

"Ugh…you…!" Why does he always- "You _hurt._ Does it please you to see me suffer that much!?"

That tiny, tell-tale smirk of his. Itachi's half-lidded eyes glinted up at her with tainted amusement.

"…That…" he breathed lightly in a whisper "…is your only complaint?"

_Huh…?_ "…Y-yes?" Voreka answered with an unsure frown.

She had been trying so hard to pull back, she fell back against the floor when he let go of her wrist abruptly.

Itachi approached her silently, and she realized what kind of situation she just got herself in.

"NO-! THAT IS NOT THE POINT! _KYAACK!"_

"Do not resist me…" his lukewarm voice told her, pronouncing each word carefully as he pinned both her hands down next to her head, lacing his long fingers with hers. The ring he wore bit uncomfortably into her skin.

_Do not resist him!?_ Voreka found herself in a high state of panic. _Even if he _says _that-!_

"I. can't!" She was resisting so much that her head was pounding from the lack of oxygen.

What happened next, she had not expected. The shock of it took out all the struggle within her.

Voreka blinked her pink eyes open in bewilderment.

Itachi had laid his forehead against hers, the cool feel of his headband against her skin. He was motionless, his long lashes resting closed against his cheeks. His breathing was so shallow that she did not hear it.

…_What…?_

Languidly, the long-haired missing-nin released her hands, pulling away from her.

…_What was that…?_

He stopped and turned back to look, because she had grabbed his hand.

As usual, the kunoichi wasn't able to decipher anything from his stoic countenance.

What was it…? Something felt out of place. Was something wrong?

…

"You're right…" Voreka said slowly, painstakingly lowering her eyes. "Am I being really unfair…?"

His silent, observant gaze appraised her for a long moment. A tinge of a smirk found its way into his low, velvety voice.

"…Don't dig your own grave."

Itachi raised one eyebrow lightly, frowned, and then finally realized that she was trying to tug off his shirt.

After a pause he made it easier on her by slipping his black shirt off over his head.

A deep bruise traced down from his left shoulder. There were a number of minor scratches. But…

So it wasn't that their 'leader' did something again. Maybe she was overthinki-

Without warning, Itachi reached out and ripped off the bandage she pasted over her left collarbone.

"_OWW!_" Voreka slid back immediately, hissing in pain. "What was that for!?"

The frown which the man was wearing lifted slightly.

"You have gotten more sensitive."

"No," the kunoichi denied flatly, "what are you talk-"

She…wasn't about to stick around to find out what that small, arrogant smirk of his meant.

…

"Hey…" Voreka said in warning, drawing out the katana from its sheath at her side, "just because I've made myself your subordinate doesn't mean I can't make your life miserable while at it."

He had the decency to not laugh outwardly at her threat.

Instead, the black-haired missing-nin sat down leisurely at the edge of his bed.

"…Come treat my wounds," Itachi commanded coolly, after a pause.

…

"Subordinate!" she clarified with a scowl "_Not _servant!"

"Hmph." A scoff of amusement? The man told her pointedly, in his smooth, nerve-wracking voice, "I have never scarred in my life."

…

He wasn't going to scar from small cuts like _that._

As if sensing her thought, Itachi gave her a glance.

"…I get it! I get it! Just don't touch me…"

…Ugh.

The man was leaning back further than was necessary.

…

"Are you just doing this on purpose?" Voreka asked suspiciously, annoyed by the fact that she had to lean over him in the most awkward way to be able to reach him with the disinfectant. Damn.

The green-haired kunoichi felt heat crept up on both sides of her face.

Why was it…? Why was it only him who could invoke such a reaction from her?

She felt him touch her on her waist, a light touch. It shocked her as well as sent a tingling sensation down her legs.

"I THOUGHT WE STOPPED FIGHTNG ALREADY!? _AHHHH!"_

It had been easy for him to trip her off balance. She fell against him.

His arm around her waist prevented her from getting up.

_Shit._

"Let go! Damn you!"

Threat or no threat, she was never going to trust him again!

That arm around her waist began lifting up her shirt, deliberately slow.

"Don't!" Voreka panicked, reaching back both hands to stop him.

And fell for his trap, of course.

…

He had both her arms trapped. She was running out of options.

"…Is this not what you want…" Itachi whispered lightly with a veiled gaze, drawing fingers of his free hand gently along her side.

"_NO!"_

He ignored that. His hand reached under her shirt, slipping it up to reveal her skin.

Damn it. She bit her lip, trying to shut out the sensations welling up inside.

The feeling of her bare chest against his was the most intense feeling she had ever known. Mixed within it was the heated, pulsing pain from her wounds and the throbbing of her own heartbeat.

So that's how it feels to be burned alive. Not exactly a pleasant experience for her.

"Argh-! Let go of me!" Voreka demanded again, struggling against his hold as the man denied her request. She was short on breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly as her lungs tried to catch up. It wasn't helping.

The way he touched her. She realized just how much experience he must have possessed. Either that, or he was simply a very fast learner at everything he did.

The way he trailed his fingers lightly over her arm, and was able to send an exquisite shock through her entire being with just that. It scared her. It made her vulnerable. And it made the pain from her wounds all the more obvious.

"I-I don't like this either!" Voreka confessed through clenched teeth. "Stop! Stop! Stop, stop, please stop!?"

Damn it! What will she do!? At this rate-…

The kunoichi twisted to one side, as much as his grip on her arms would allow her. She hit the bottom end of the katana's sheath with her heel, springing the blade out through the gap between their arms.

It drew a long, red slash over his shoulder.

…

Itachi closed his eyes and inclined his head slightly, wordlessly. He remained motionless like that for a long moment. As if he couldn't believe she actually did that.

His ire, she was able to perceive even before his malicious eyes slid open and locked on to hers with the full glare of his spinning Sharingan.

_Ah crap._

She held her breath. What was it? What…did he just do? A genjutsu?

Noting her obvious bewilderment with sinisterly smirking eyes, Itachi drew his nails across the bite marks he left on her collarbone.

Voreka hissed out in shock and pain. What the hell!?

_W-what was that!?_

He reached up, tracing the sinew in her neck and she realized in horror what he had just done.

* * *

"_YOU-! DON'T GO HEIGHTENING OTHER PEOPLE'S SENSITIVITY YOU EVIL BASTARD!"_

He could still hear her all the way at the other end of the corridor.

Kisame turned over on his side, using his pillow to cover up his ears.

Seriously. Not even a single moment of peace in this place.


	31. your trust in me

**A/N: **At the bottom. Bear with me as I make extreme, head-banging-on-table efforts trying to follow Kishimoto's (or whoever came up with this mess)'logic' here... -.-

* * *

**Chapter 31 – "your trust in me"**

* * *

"Itachi-san." Kisame knocked again. "Itachi-san?"

The door swung open. The black-haired missing-nin appeared in a flapping of his dark cloak.

"EHHH!?" The shark man felt himself being pulled down by the back of his own cloak right before registering what was coming at him.

Kisame lifted his Samehada in time to shield himself from the handful of kunai shooting his way.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" he roared at the pink-eyed girl who looked just as surprised to see him there.

The Uchiha let go of the taller man's collar. "…We are leaving," Itachi informed him, perfectly nonchalant as usual. He didn't spare the girl another glance.

…

Kisame looked from one to the other. _He_ was turning away already, his composure impeccable as always. _She_ was huffing for breath, a flushing vision of loveliness which would turn the head of any man.

Was it really alright for Itachi to take her along on their next assignment while looking like that?

…They'll definitely be leaving behind a trial of blood this time.

…

"I understand why_ you_, but why is she glaring daggers at me, too?"

He was ignored.

* * *

"Have you calmed down a bit?" Kisame asked in a growl.

They have travelled for the better half of the day. Itachi didn't seem to mind keeping his leisurely pace. At last, the town that was their first destination was in sight. It was time for the shark man to go seek out their informant.

"What are you talking about?" the kunoichi replied with a strained smile. Creepy.

At least she did seem to have regained her composure. But with the state she was in, there was no way…

"Just be a good girl and behave," Kisame advised flatly, in monotone. He reached up and patted her once on top of her head despite himself, kinda like how he'd done once before. Before he found her to be the most annoying kunoichi alive.

The shark man drew up his Samehada slightly, without even turning to look, deflecting the kunai she flung at his back.

"…What was that?" Voreka glanced at the other Akatsuki who stayed behind with her.

Itachi's unreadable red eyes returned her sidelong glance. She blinked away.

What was this eerie silence?

"…Mezhari-kun…" his low voice breathed out.

It still irked her when he called her by that name. "…I thought I asked you not to call me that…"

He made a slow blink. A small incline of his head. Faint amusement?

"…You have made yourself my follower…"

A statement? No…it was like he was prompting for a confirmation.

"Yes…?" Voreka answered, a bit wary.

He went on, his smooth voice calm and unhurried. "…You will even follow me onto death…"

…

"I will follow you in death," she answered coolly.

A faint, wry smile. Itachi's crimson gaze strayed to her knowingly.

"Because it is your promise to your clan."

Her eyes flickered involuntarily, but she replied boldly, "Because I promised my mother."

A gentle pause. "…You are a fool," the man told her, a mocking tint to his tone.

"…I am a-…HEY!"

Geez, did he just come up with all that just to make fun of her!?

Voreka closed her eyes in irritation and bit back a frown. "I don't know how it's like to be a voluntary missing-nin, but I have a certain duty I owe to my clan and to my village of origin, simply by being a ninja."

It felt like he wasn't going to respond. But he did.

"…You can never be free."

"…I can nev-…I really hate you, you know," Voreka informed him with pink eyes narrowing. She wanted to slap herself. Why the hell was she behaving so yieldingly towards him!?

His stoic expression had not changed.

Itachi shifted slightly, so that he faced her squarely.

The kunoichi was determined to stand her ground this time. Or rather, she felt that she couldn't move, anyway. A sense of dread had worked its way into her bloodstream. Maybe it was the effect of his words.

His beautiful, drooping eyes and his long lashes, they were close enough to see in detail as he reached up and touched one strand of her pastel-green hair.

Itachi 's blood-red orbs looked up, those arrogant and stunning features tainted by something she couldn't quite put a finger on. He leaned in and told her lightly, his voice almost seductive with laden meaning, _"…Keep on cursing me forever."_

It wasn't even a suggestion.

"…What?" she asked in confusion, catching her breath. He just…never ceases to amaze her with his ambiguity. The man before her drew away slowly, again with that distant, unseeing gaze.

"…Hmph." He turned away, his dark cloak flapping around his lithe but powerful form.

…_?_

"…Go get me two sets of explosion tags," the raven-haired missing-nin commanded her.

Voreka pursed her lips, and then proclaimed once again, "_NOT _servant!"

…

"Just go," Itachi replied simply.

She could not make a retort to that.

Not a smirk. And not directed at her.

…But he was smiling.

* * *

"Eh, I confirmed it with him," Kisame reported, "seems like the information from the meeting was true. So…"

The Uchiha rose up, strands of his long, black bangs swaying with the wind.

"…Are you really alright with this, Itachi-san?" Kisame wondered out loud, making move to follow his partner's lead.

Itachi did not glance back at him. "…She will only get in the way."

"Hoho…" Kisame couldn't resist poking at such an opening. "So if she were any stronger…you'd take her with us?"

"…"

His incarnadine gaze slid back. Itachi came to a full halt.

…

"…Go on," the shorter man told him quietly. "I will only be a minute."

Kisame just gave a grunt in acknowledgment and proceeded ahead as he was instructed.

…

Calmly, the red-eyed man turned slightly in the direction of his interceptor.

"My, my, so you're going, after all…?"

The swirly-masked man was leaning, arms folded haphazardly, against the trunk of a nearby tree.

"Itachi…" the man who was known as Uchiha Madara only to a selective few raised one gloved hand to grasp lightly onto his mask. His Sharingan glowed from within the hole in the right side of his mask.

"Are you sure you want to leave her in my hands?"

The tomoes in the younger Uchiha's eyes spun in response to the sight of his, a reflexive action.

"…Or are you perhaps counting on the fact that I still have use for her?" the masked man prompted.

The Sharingan of Itachi settled back to its original state. He turned away.

"That is none of my concern."

…

"_Really_…" The masked man tapped himself on the side of his head. Did the boy think him a fool? "Then why didn't you take her life?"

His hesitation was diminutive, but it was there. There was no way it wouldn't be there.

'…_How much do you know?'_ Itachi must be wondering to himself darkly, even if there were no signs of it externally. _'…How did you find out?'_

He knew everything about the young Uchiha. It hadn't been extremely difficult to find out, given the Sharingan's ability to extract truth from others through hypnosis.

"Of course," the masked man said, shrugging his shoulders helplessly, "I know about the immunity which belongs to the blood of Loricha clan's head family line."

Itachi turned back, slowly, meeting his revealed eye through his mask.

"Allegiance? Don't make me laugh. The reason why one proud member of the once-mighty Uchiha clan had tried to make such an arrangement with an outsider clan…" The masked man scoffed scornfully. _"It was because of that incurable disease you were born with."_

…

The younger Uchiha remained motionless, simply staring back at him apathetically.

From Itachi's lack of reaction, the masked man deducted that the fact he knew all this wouldn't make a difference.

Why would it? He had lived his whole life knowing that his time would come. Yet, it had been a burden that he had hidden within himself. It had been a burden, along with his status as a prodigy at the shinobi arts, which had caught the attention of the Konoha's higher-ups.

It had been the reason they had chosen him, a boy of only thirteen then, instead of setting up someone else, to carry out the murder of his entire clan that night.

After all, any clan considered to be a loyal, contributing clan…_is any powerful clan which will die out within a given amount of time._

…

"Heh…If you only wanted to stop me, you should have gotten a blood transfusion." The masked man smirked to himself. "But you knew very well the danger that would pose to her, didn't you?"

Those red eyes of Itachi's had thinned just enough to display his distrust.

The long-haired man knew what he was getting at.

Uchiha Madara spread out his hands before him. Heh.

"I am not a _monster_, per say. As long as you don't get in the way."

…

Sigh, this brat. Even given a way out he…was still a true shinobi as he ever was.

"You don't think I can corrupt her?" the masked man asked to Itachi's back.

If not attachment, then would he not at least consider the outcome of leaving her to the Akatsuki? No, it's as if he did that on purpose.

Itachi even gave him a farewell warning in advance. "…Hmph. She is not as weak as you think…"

Interesting. Madara shook his head. "So you're saying…if she were any weaker, you'd stay with her?"

"…"

That was a slightly more noticeable pause.

Itachi glanced back, his crimson eyes smirking lightly.

"Don't be ridiculous," the man told him before turning away for the last time.

…

"…Suit yourself," the masked man replied.

* * *

He knew that if he waited long enough, she'd eventually be coming this way.

"Yo!" Tobi waved her over with both arms. So she did.

"…You?" the green-haired kunoichi inquired, arching one eyebrow.

The black of her clothing enhanced the purity of her pastel-colored hair and light skin. Her pretty eyes blinked curiously back at him as she approached.

"You're out here by yourself?" the kunoichi asked.

"Yeah, since," Tobi shrugged both shoulders helplessly, "Deidara-senpai flew off somewhere without me."

She smiled in light sympathy. A pretty smile which didn't seem to be forced. She really was a strange one.

"By the way," the kunoichi glanced to either side, "did you happen to see-…"

"Itachi-san and Kisame-san?" he finished the sentence for her.

She hesitated, before looking back up at him and giving a small nod.

Though it was barely perceivable, it didn't seem like she liked him very much. Which wasn't a surprise, considering he _did_ almost get her killed by pushing her into the path of Deidara's flying fork. And also…

"…You know," Tobi said to himself, "two people who are both too selfless and headstrong will not make good lifelong partners."

"…Huh?"

"Nothing." He slid down from the tree branch. "Itachi-san told me to take over from here," Tobi told her, spreading both hands before him helplessly.

She placed a full stack of explosive notes in each hand.

"GYYYAAAH!" Tobi leapt back quickly, shielding himself with his arms. "PLEASE DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER!"

"…What?" she asked in confusion.

He then realized she didn't get what he meant.

…

Was this really the young woman who had touched the hearts of two Akatsuki members?

"Anyway… Those two have been given a rather dangerous mission, so…" Tobi trailed off. He probably didn't need to elaborate.

"…Oh…"

She didn't seem to be surprised. Though she looked extremely preoccupied by something.

"Well, looks like he had forgotten something." The unhurriedly kunoichi made her way past him.

…

"Your mother told you to 'live on'."

She stopped.

Turning back carefully, her pink eyes landed on him with masked uncertainty.

Really, she was so easy to read.

"It seems that woman…really did care for you in her own way," Tobi added.

The uncertainty made its move into anxiety. She was subconsciously entering a defensive stance.

"What-…" the kunoichi breathed and tried again "…What happened back there?"

The question she had wanted to ask but had avoided asking now that they were alone, of course.

"Oh, you know," Tobi replied casually, "just a chat. About the weather. Et cetera."

Her eyebrow rose at the way he twirled a kunai around one finger even as he said that.

"…Just a chat?" she asked incredulously. "My _mother?"_

Heh.

"You can say we came to an agreement, of sorts," he said lazily. "Either way, you don't have to worry about your clansmen bothering you for a while. As long as you'll carry out your duty."

That unsettled her, somehow. It showed in her facial expression as she dropped her gaze.

"That is…" her voice was quiet "…the truth?"

It didn't seem like she would readily trust him, but it wasn't like she had a choice. It was very unlikely that she could defeat him, and she was probably aware of that fact.

Tobi leaned back with a shrug, giving her space, and told her haphazardly, "I may be dishonest, but I don't lie."

She tried to make sense of his confession, and then gave up with a shake of her head.

"If that is the case, it would seem I owe you one," the green-haired kunoichi told him, turning away.

So she'll go after them, after all?

Heh…

Itachi, Itachi, Itachi.

He might just do that troublesome boy a favor.

"That's right," the masked man declared, causing her to pause. "You owe me a favor. Since I got ditched by Deidara-senpai…"

She turned back to look. He didn't lessen his sinister tone any.

"…Won't you help me take care of some small fry?" asked Tobi.

* * *

_A/N: …This sets the stage for the final act._

_So I know it's short and all that, but it deserves its own chapter! _

_Now I will leave you with like the first cliff-hanger I've ever made (I think)…gotta study for my psych exam coming up in a few days. _

_But in the meantime… go ahead and make a prediction. I dare you?_

**Rasne: **lol, I predicted it'd be confusing to some readers. Basically, Itachi in his strange way didn't like it when she wanted an anesthetic (which is not only a pain killer, but also numbs your sensation of 'touch'). At the end, because she made him mad, he used his Sharingan to manipulate her chakra flow. In other words, so that she could temporarily feel more pain and…other stuff, than she did before. Hm…I made him he turn out to be so sadistic heh heh heh… can't stop laughing…

**Emo:** Just one and a half – or two and a half…and yes I know my Itachi's all over the place LOL…I'm 'trying to' live up to people's different expectations without overdoing any one aspect. It's still supposed to be a 'romance', after all…

**Kohana Kurama:** Now you'll have your answer…hohoho…


	32. Love me

**SPOILER ALERT:** _(Oops, I should've done this last chapter) I'm assuming everyone here knows, but if you have not yet reached the part where Sasuke reencounters Itachi in Naruto Shippuuden and would rather not know…steer clear for now!_

_Actually, I'm not sure if you'd understand this chapter very much if you haven't read/seen it yet…since I'm skipping out some details. _

No author's notes this time. I'll get back to you all.

* * *

**Chapter 32 – "Love me"**

* * *

He turned, waiting for the green-haired kunoichi to catch up to him.

She looked depleted. Maybe he'd overdone it.

"Is it just me," the kunoichi breathed, heaving herself over the overgrown root of a tree, "or have we been going around in circles for the past hour…?"

Ha. So she was sharp enough to take notice, even in that distracted state.

Tobi waved one hand dismissively. "No no, it's just you, Mezhari-chan."

It didn't seem like she was going to waste energy arguing with him.

"Mezhari-'Chan'?" the kunoichi asked, resting down with a crooked grin. "Aren't I older than you?"

…

He went down in a crouching position, propping his head on one arm. "Sure seems that way. You sure need to rest often, Obaa-san!"

"I _did_ warn you before you insisted I come along!"

"What will you do if we get attacked!?"

"You've been saying that since yesterday!"

"I was only being over-cautious yesterday!"

"So _now_ what are you?"

"…Just cautious."

She left it at that, closing her eyes to indulge in a moment of peace.

"Don't mind me asking, but you don't seem to be very upset," Tobi observed.

Or maybe she was. There was a significant pause before she looked back and answered. Other than that, however, there were no other visible cues.

Her pink eyes gazed back at him curiously. "I have betrayed his trust and left him twice, caused him injuries, told him lies and angered him countless times, burdened him with my own problems and yet…in the end when he told me 'Keep on cursing me forever', I…still had no reply."

…

Hmm… They _are _talking about Uchiha Itachi, right?

"Keep on cursing me forever…" the kunoichi lowered her eyes "…like saying he will accept the blame for all of that. Hmph. Do you think I have the right to be upset?"

Tobi cocked his head to one side, pondering over her.

"So, this means you won't keep curs-?"

"I will!" she interjected.

Heh. So the girl was upset, after all.

"What kind of ninja leaves his subordinate behind without an explanation!?" The kunoichi's pink eyes flicked to him in anger.

…

_Anywayyyy._

"Oh well," Tobi got up with a shrug. "Nobody's perfect."

"Not perfect, huh?" she repeated, smiling as if she remembered something. "…Simply a man?"

…Hm?

She heard it as well. The approach of at least five shinobi.

Tobi skipped up to higher elevation. Seven- no, eight Leaf ninja including a dog. Due to the filter of light pouring down through the canopy above, he was able to observe them before they saw him.

"Stop!" the tall, silver-haired shinobi up in front alerted the rest.

"Whoa." Tobi rubbed the back of his head. "What's a bunch of Leaf ninja doing all the way out here?"

"His cloak…" the other adult-looking guy in the group observed "an Akatsuki member!"

Those two seemed to be the only Jounin among all eight.

Meh. It won't even cause him to break a sweat.

"He's not in the Akatsuki roster Kabuto left behind…" the first, silver-haired Jounin noted upon glancing up at him from his file. Hatake Kakashi, the infamous one-eye Sharingan copy ninja.

"Oh, that's because I'm the newbie," Tobi replied conversationally. He noted the green-haired kunoichi he was babysitting come up next to him and introduced, "And here is my accomplice."

"Ahhhh!" two of the Leaf ninja youngsters down below pointed and cried out at simultaneously. "It's _you!_"

Huh?

Tobi turned to glance at the Loricha heiress at his side, watching as she blinked back down in recognition.

"So you were on their side, after all!" a certain pink-haired Leaf kunoichi accused up at her.

"…You know these people, Mezhari-san?" Tobi asked casually.

"…_Oh_…" The green-haired kunoichi grimaced a bit. "…Awkward…"

"Well then I guess I should introduce myself as well?" Tobi announced. "I'm Tobi! Nice to meet-"

The Kyuubi brat attacked him from behind. "SHUT UP AND GET OUT OF OUR WAY!"

"AAIEEEE!" the masked man screamed melodramatically. The blonde kid's attack went right through him without ever landing. "Just kidding."

"W-what the hell was that!?" his attacker demanded to know, falling back down to ground level.

"A 'C' sharp, mister Leaf-nin!" Tobi supplied helpfully. "I got tons of practice reaching my high notes-WHOOPS!"

He dodged the shadow clone, and avoided another from behind. Too easy, too easy.

"Mezhari-san! Look at me! Look at me!" Tobi waved, while displaying his splendid kinesthetic agility in evading all of his opponent's moves.

"…" She cringed with one pink eye. "So why am I even here?"

"Hey, that's right!" he concurred, stepping against the tree-bark to provide leverage for his flying sidekick. The kick sent the shadow clone and the real one splashing into a pond dwelling conveniently beneath. "Don't just pick on the guy with the cloak!"

"…I don't mind, though…" the green-haired girl protested.

"Don't be shy!" Tobi called back to her.

"DAMN!" the Kyuubi kid cursed, rising out of the water like a storm. He was greeted by a relieved, "Naruto-kun!"

That's right. The brat's name's Naruto. The first time he'd seen him, while posing as an ANBU, the kid was merely a toddler. Hmph. Centuries too young to lay a scratch on him.

"We don't have time to waste on you!" Naruto glared murderously up at him. How rude.

"…What exactly…are we keeping them from?" Tobi's green-haired protégé asked him when he dropped back to her side.

"Willows?" he suggested with a helpless shrug. "At this time of the year, they're-"

"Shut up, you damn joker!" Naruto cut him off, pointing an accusing finger up at him. "What the hell do you want with Sasuke, anyway!"

Tsch. What a pain. If the girl recognizes that name…

"…Who's Sasuke?"

…

Or not.

"Don't play dumb!"

"Yeah!" the pink-haired female ninja down below seconded that. "How can you possibly not know who Sasuke is, after being in Uchiha Itachi's company for so long!?"

Well, it didn't seem like the lad liked to talk about himself to others. But this was getting troublesome…

"His younger brother," Tobi answered the kunoichi's pink-eyed look of askance. Heh. Might as well. "And the only one Itachi spared that night he massacred his entire clan."

The green-haired kunoichi glanced down to the side, thinking. She would be able to make the connection, of course. But he wasn't particularly concerned, yet. After all, it's not like-…

The girl reached out unexpectedly and pulled off both of his black gloves.

"KYAAAA!" Tobi drew back. "MY-MY HEART IS NOT READY FOR THAT YET-!"

She didn't seem to hear that.

"That ring." Loricha Mezhari's pink eyes glanced up solemnly. "What does it mean?"

"Huh?" Tobi looked down at the ring on his finger. "This?" He slipped it off, flicking it in the air and catching it again.

"Hey! Those bastards up there are ignoring us!" someone's voice below complained.

"This is the symbol of proof that you are an Akatsuki," Tobi explained to the kunoichi beside him, holding his ring up between two fingers. "Each member has one. You like? Tobi will g-"

She turned. He barred her way with an extended arm.

So, somehow, she managed to figure it out.

"That boy…had slain his own girlfriend in cold blood before. I'm really only saying this for your own sake, you know. If you get in the way, now, there is no guarantee that he won't kill you, too."

There was a long, solemn pause before the girl glanced sidelong at him with her steady pink eyes.

"In other words," she stated in a half-question, "my mother is dead?"

…

Well, what do you know? Heh. It looks like she wasn't as naïve as he thought.

"The things I've told you," Tobi said dismissively, sidestepping a bunch of shuriken from the Leaf-nins, "are not lies."

'Tell my daughter to live on…' that woman had said.

Her daughter was hesitating, immobilized by that knowledge.

They both evaded in separate directions as wooden poles rose from the tree root beneath their feet and tried to grasp onto them.

Tsch.

"Hold on!" Tobi called to her. He raised his hand before him, blocking her throw. "You're really willing to abandon your 'duty' for that boy?"

The Loricha clan's pink-eyed heiress turned halfway and fixed him with an emotional, half-smile.

"But he is _the one_, Tobi. He is the one! No one else will do…"

…

He didn't bother going after her. Unclenching his hand, Tobi glanced down at what she had flung at him to prevent his approach.

The ring. _Itachi's_ ring.

_Oh._

Heh. Young fools. Oh well...it was almost time.

He turned back just as a flash of pink flitted past his field of vision.

Uh… Oops?

* * *

Her eyes were bothering her. In more than one way.

She could no longer see the world in the same vibrancy with her bloodline limit activated.

"_You're already losing control of your third chakra center…"_ her mother's words came back to her. _"With the next one, you won't be able to see chakra with your eyes."_

Voreka reached up and touched the corner of one closed eye.

So that's what it was. Somehow, somewhere in the dark of her subconscious, she had known ever since that night. But she only just finally realized the meaning of these tears.

That woman, who had never told her that she loved her.

That woman, who had always paid a visit whenever she brewed a fever.

That woman, who had granted her request to attend a ninja academy instead of being trained by her clan.

Her mother, who had wanted her to live out her life in her own way.

That woman is dead.

Voreka clenched her teeth, feeling her nails dig into her skin beneath her eye.

…Was it really alright?

"What-" She dropped to a low crouch as several shuriken flew over her head.

"_Sakura-chan!" _a chorus of voices called out from far behind.

Right, this pink-haired kunoichi of the Leaf village. That was her name.

"Hey," the kunoichi, Sakura, greeted her with an unfriendly smile. "We meet again."

Voreka glanced over the younger girl's head at the distant figure of Tobi, who shrugged helplessly in response. Ugh.

"Come to think of it, that time, you had a scroll with you."

Sakura's jade-green eyes narrowed with hostility. "It was _you _who had stolen the scroll containing secrets to the Yamanaka Clan's mind-body techniques! You're a jutsu thief!"

…

"But I returned the scroll, didn't I?" Voreka tried asking carefully.

The girl gave her a dry smile.

_Shit._

Voreka leapt out of the way. The entire ground gave away beneath her as Sakura smashed her fist into it.

What the-! That wasn't good.

A jagged pain shot through her side as Voreka involuntarily reached to cradle over her wound.

Ugh…pathetic. Would she even be able to do anything in her current state?

Sakura blinked her green eyes up at her incredulously.

"You're hurt?" the Leaf kunoichi inquired.

…

"Heh." Voreka had to smile at that. "Don't go believing your enemies that easily."

The pink-haired girl bristled at the insult. "You! What you did back then! You were working for them all along!?"

What's this? Giving her the benefit of the doubt?

Such a…sweet little girl.

"…Sorry, I don't have time to explain."

She needed to find him… What…was this anxious feeling?

Sakura brought her fists together and smirked darkly. "As if I'd let you get away!"

…

"Where is Sasuke!?" the pink-haired kunoichi demanded, because she was taking too long trying to figure out how to react.

"…Do you wish to know?"

Ugh…it didn't use to require such effort to keep her eyes activated on second level. Voreka reached up and touched one eyelid.

She didn't think…it'd be this soon.

Where-? Her mind's vision was moving too fast, uncoordinated.

Where?

"…Is that-…blood?" Sakura's voice was nearly a whisper.

Voreka flinched, her eyes squeezing shut immediately. She found it.

"This way," she informed the younger female, wiping away the rim of red liquid from her eyes.

The kunoichi of the Leaf village hesitated. It was apparent that she was wary.

"Like I said," Voreka told her, "I don't have time to deal with you. But, I'll tell you that my bond with the one named Haku was not a lie."

A muscle in Sakura's jaw twitched at the mention.

"Let's just call it even," Voreka suggested with a weary, half-smile. "Don't get in my way."

With a final, assessing glance, she decided that the girl didn't look like she'd be posing an immediate threat.

"Come, then."

* * *

Black flames.

The sheer amount of chakra they were sending off was obscuring her view.

"Ugh." Voreka shut her eyes again, feeling a sharp pain probe at the back of her eyes.

He…had to be somewhere nearby…

Her breathing was heavy and strained. She was pushing her limit.

"That," Sakura's awed voice said from beside her, "what is that?"

Voreka glanced up in the direction the girl was looking in.

That…was an ominous converging of thunderclouds. Could that be a…

"It's not safe. Stay here."

What _was_ that? The current in the air felt charged enough to make strands of her pastel-green hair float across her face in disarray.

And Itachi…was he-…

She slid to an abrupt halt upon taking in the scene some ways ahead of her.

"Itachi!"

Forks of lightning overhead diverted her attention.

No way. A wind technique? A summoning of lightning!?

She searched the premises. Damn! Where was the user!? Where had the long-haired man been looking before she called out to him!?

Her pink eyes caught sight of him; a lone figure standing high above ground level in the distance.

That high up.

Her heartbeat was erratic. She felt it rather than heard it through the cackling of lightning.

There was no way she could redirect a lightning summon unless she could gain higher elevation than its user in the nick of time.

"ITACHI!"

Voreka threw up her arms to shield herself. The shockwave generated from that jutsu was unbelievable. The ground was entirely shattered on all sides.

She fell back, struggling for breath.

"Sasuke-kun!?" Sakura's voice yelled from behind her. The kunoichi had followed her, after all.

_Urgh…this…_

Voreka rose unsteadily to her feet, freezing as a ragged but cold voice carried over to her.

"Aren't you…the Akatsuki spy Orochimaru set up?"

Sakura's jade-green eyes blinked to her. "What!?"

"You've been with them all this time…?" that dark-haired youth asked down to her from his high throne with a cold gaze. "Why didn't you report anything?"

…

"So you…were only a spy," Sakura said with a look in askance.

Voreka didn't answer any of them.

_That's_ why the name 'Sasuke' had sounded vaguely familiar.

This wasn't good.

"Well, technically," Voreka said unhurriedly while weighing her options, "I'm not an Akatsuki. But…"

She slipped behind the pink-haired Leaf ninja, raising a kunai to her throat in one smooth motion.

"I don't think I can forgive you if you've killed that man."

"What…?" Sakura's green eyes widened in disbelief.

"…You've let your guard down again…" Voreka told her coolly.

She met with Sasuke's blank stare.

"You think taking a hostage will affect me?" he asked indifferently.

Not really. Since he's the brother of that man.

"…Hostage?" Voreka gave a small, wry smile. "No. It's quite simpler than that."

She pressed the kunai against Sakura's throat. The girl seemed still a bit too taken aback to react yet.

"If you kill that man, I will kill her, too. Then someone from the rest of her team will probably kill me soon after. But am I not allowed revenge, as well?"

This time Sakura's green eyes flickered over to her incredulously.

Ah, the girl was sharp enough to pick up on it.

Why would she, the one who had forgiven the team of Leaf shinobi who had taken Haku's life, now claim readiness to do something like that? Either she was bluffing it, or…

"Hey…" Sakura's quiet voice questioned her "…you…you love this man? This high rank criminal?"

Voreka looked back at her blankly, unsure if her hearing had been impaired by that loud lightning strike just now. "I am his subordinate."

"What? He's a cold-blooded killer! A murderer of his own blood!"

"…I know that."

She knew all of that already, of course. It was something she tried not to think about.

Because she still did not understand him at all. Except he…

Voreka felt a small smile tug at the corner of her lips.

"I thought it was fine as long as he…can tell me that he won't put me through the same. Is that wrong?"

The pink-haired kunoichi fell speechless.

"…_Hmph. Truly a fool…" _

Voreka blinked. That voice.

Uchiha Itachi slowly picked himself up from the ground, his back turned to her.

That was a tremendous relief. He was alive.

"What!? How are you still alive!?" Uchiha Sasuke spat angrily. "Ugh…ugh…" He was retreating, and at the same time a strange layer of color stole over his skin.

"Behold…" Itachi's light voice rippled with weariness as he spoke "…the final weapon in my arsenal; **Susano'o.**"

Voreka flinched when Sakura reached up and clasped a hand around her wrist. But the girl didn't do anything else.

"Your hand is trembling," the Leaf kunoichi noted.

"Is that so…?" Voreka closed her eyes with a smile. Slowly, she dropped her hand away, drawing back from the girl.

"…Your skin is hot," Sakura added observantly.

She didn't respond.

"Why…did you release me?"

…

Voreka stared at the back of the man she came to find. That impressive, mystic al chakra which his technique, Susano'o, was giving off. What is it, exactly?

"…I'm getting the feeling Itachi is the one doing the pushing."

And, besides…

Voreka reached one arm across her midsection. It was cold. The rain was a downpour.

…It was getting worse.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried out in fear.

"Wait!" Damn it. What was going on? She couldn't keep up with what was happening anymore.

…_Ku…_

"_**Kukuku…if it isn't Loricha Mezhari-kun…"**_

Voreka spun, turning in a full circle. What…?

"_**So you're still following him? But…"**_

The tension knitted the muscles along her spine. Where was his voice coming from…?

"Orochimaru-sama…"

How was that possible… Was he not dead?

The ground rumbled, loose rubbles beneath their feet sliding off in different directions.

Voreka temporarily lost her balance.

It didn't seem to affect Itachi. His jutsu seemed to provide him immunity to outside forces.

Perhaps she'd been the one overreact-

_What the hell?_

It looked like that boy, Sasuke, just spouted giant snakes out of his back.

That shouldn't have been physically possible. Some kind of summoning technique?

Itachi raised one arm slightly, gesturing with his hand.

The heads of the hydra which attacked forward fell off, sliced away by the sword which had manifested itself from Itachi's Susano'o, until only one remained.

"…So you finally show yourself…" Itachi's voice sounded out of breath as he watched the pale figure of Orochimaru emerge from the mouth of the snake.

Voreka felt the blood drain from her face. She bowed over and tried to stifle the desire to retch.

That sickening presence of death.

"**Kukuku…it looks like taking that much of your blood has sped up the process too far. But…"**

She looked up and met Orochimaru's knowing smirk.

"**I will keep my end of the deal to produce an artificial container with your blood…"**

Yes, that was what he had offered her, in exchange for her cooperation and for her blood.

"…**You want to be freed from the spirit bound within you, to your blood, don't you? Then, assist me in taking down this man!"**

_Thump._

Her vision blanked. Her thoughts went still.

Why…

…

Hesitation?

Was the reason why she had followed him so far-…

Was the reason why she did not want him to die-…

Was it not-…? Was it not because-?

"Itachi…" Voreka glanced to his motionless figure ahead of her. Why did she just whisper his name? Did she expect him to answer that for her?

He had not turned to look at her even once.

And she had no answer, either.

Languidly, the long-haired shinobi before her lifted one arm. He pointed two fingers back at her.

An excruciating pain pierced through her. Right through her.

…_What…?_

As abrupt as he struck her with that sword, Itachi drew his arm back, ripping it out and tearing a scream from her throat at the same time.

…

Her scream?

…

And she couldn't stop screaming, trashing on the ground in blind agony.

She couldn't see.

She couldn't breathe. But somehow she continued screaming.

…_That…_

_is your answer?_

It…

really hurts…

really hurts…

Why… Why won't it stop hurting!?

"_What the hell!?" _Someone's voice. Really distant.

Someone was trying to restrain her movement. Really faint.

"AHHH-!…KE-AHH-! AhhH!"

"Stop!" the voice commanded her. A female voice. "You're not dead! Stop! Don't hurt yourself!"

Sakura's voice…?

…

The world of white resided a bit, allowing more external sensations to filter through.

She became aware of the pain from the lack of air and tried to inhale. She became aware of the warm liquid pouring from her eyes and blinked.

The pain was a deep vibration from the core, causing her to hiss in and scream again.

…What the _hell _did he just do to her!?

"_**Fuuu…you deem her to be more of a threat than I am? But it looks like…you've reached your limit with that…"**_

_What?_

Wheezing in, Voreka struggled to sit up.

"Hey! You shouldn't-!"

"…Step aside," Voreka hissed to the pink-haired kunoichi with effort.

She froze, looking down at where she had unconsciously placed her hand over. But that was impossible. Even then, the shooting pain laced through her entire body.

No wound…?

"**AHAHAHA!"** Orochimaru's creepy laugh. **"Don't worry; I'll give you a clean death!"**

He proceeded to – disturbingly – barf up his sword from his throat.

_Itachi…_

Her pink eyes found him.

Uchiha Itachi, down on both knees as if unable to support his weight any longer. That jutsu of his was faltering rapidly. His long, raven-black hair tied behind him quivered as he coughed.

Is that…blood?

Voreka bit her lip, drawing blood. She struggled to get up.

Why?

_You…want us to die together? _

_Is that what you mean…? _

_Like how I promised you…_

She glanced up worriedly as Orochimaru poised to strike.

Voreka closed her eyes, calculating the distance, the techniques, and any available chakra she had left through the agony her whole being was in.

Why?

Despite that-…

Just why?

Why did he-…

_Love?_

She gazed steadily at him, the man who was panting laboriously as he picked himself back up to a weak stand. He still would not glance back at her.

What if Itachi would not be able to avoid Orochimaru's strike?

How will she respond to that if he couldn't?

Was she really willing to discard her duty, her only meaning of existence left, for this man who was willing to let her go every single time?

She was so confused.

So confused. So torn. So out of time.

But it seemed like her hands; her fingers; her body knew what she was going to do.

"Sakura-chan."

"What are you-?" the girl started to ask.

"Meeting you again…has reminded me." Voreka spared her a sidelong glance and tried to force a smile through the pain. "I once…kissed him out of my own will… It is ironic how…this is how it'll end…"

'_To think that you two should meet again…your fates must be pretty strong,' _her mother had once said.She could be right.

"…You will…stop them, won't you?" Voreka asked. She didn't need a response.

The handseals. Which ones were they? Which ones must she use?

It was the only thing she could do, in this state, at this distance.

**Mind**

She wouldn't regret it.

She wouldn't…live long enough to regret it.

**Body**

_Love? Don't be ridiculous._

_I am simply…_

Voreka raised her hands before her. The target was so large…she couldn't miss. But only if it _works._

_**Substitution **_**Technique**

…

_The debt I owe to you…_

_I'll return it to you now._


	33. or set me free END

**Start date: March 1****st****, 2006 (LOL oh man)**

**Date of completion: June 14****th****, 2008**

**Dedicated to all other Itachi fans. And of course to Itachi-san himself. **

* * *

**END – "or set me free"**

* * *

The rain, rather than clearing up after the storm, only intensified.

They splattered softly onto her pale cheeks, her dark, resting lashes, her bloodless lips still tilted upwards ever so softly at the corners.

The trickles of water ran down her pastel-green hair which would've been shoulder-length if she was standing or sitting up, but she was lying down, motionless, and had been ever since. The rain which poured down her hair, her soaked clothing and her soft curves, pooled around her and made it seem that there was more blood than was actually there.

"Sakura…she's…?"

Sakura looked up at her Jounin sensei, Kakashi, who was the first one to break the silence.

…

The pink-haired kunoichi looked down again.

"…The wound she received wasn't a fatal one, but…" the medic-nin found the words heavy on the tip of her tongue "…it seems that she had lost a lot of blood prior to this, so…"

Sakura trailed off.

A moment of shared silence.

"Ah! Sakura-chan!" Naruto's naturally loud voice perked up. "What about Sasuke!? Did you see what-"

He was interrupted by Kakashi's hand on his shoulder.

…

"I…couldn't stop them…" Sakura finally replied. "I couldn't stop him from taking Sasuke…and…"

The medic-nin averted her eyes from her teammates. Her green eyes landed numbly on the closed eyelids of the woman on the ground.

"I'm not sure what happened, exactly…but Uchiha Itachi is dead. Sasuke-…Sasuke killed him."

A ripple of shock went through the surrounding Leaf shinobi.

"I'm sorry…" Sakura said. "Can you…leave me alone for a while?"

Kakashi and Yamato exchanged a glance.

"Fine," her sensei turned to say. "We'll all go look around. Let's go guys."

They split up, to search for remaining clues, leaving the pink-haired kunoichi by herself as she had requested.

…

That wound…

Sakura knelt down and reached over to the gash in the center of that woman's torso which she had closed with her medic jutsu.

It was like…the woman had combined the Yamanaka clan's mind-body switching technique with a replacement technique. The wound which should have been left on the Uchiha's body from Orochimaru's attack had appeared on her instead. Like she had temporarily transferred her own cells, blood and soul to substitute for the raven-haired missing-nin…or something to that effect.

She had even been thrown back by the force of the attack, ending up where she lay now.

For her to be able to pull something like that off…who exactly…

"Hey…" Sakura said out loud. "If you're still out there, you can come out, now."

…

She bit the inside of her lip, still wary of that person.

His voice came from behind her, causing her to startle inwardly.

It must be a missing-nin habit to appear in other people's blind spots.

"…You have my gratitude…Sakura-san."

Sakura hurried to her feet, backing up in a way which she hoped was not_ too_ obvious, as he approached.

"I didn't do it for _you,_" she replied with a strained smile. "I know that Sasuke won't stop chasing you unless you're dead. Until _he _kills you."

The kunoichi bit her lip again, hoping that she sounded more confident than she actually felt.

Come on, it's not everyday she gets to speak to an S-rank criminal so condescendingly. "So you better keep your _word._"

He didn't give a response. He didn't look at her.

The long-haired Uchiha, Itachi, had eyes for the woman who had saved him, only.

'_He doesn't even have the courtesy to appear troubled,' _Sakura thought dryly to herself. Is that what it is to be a high ranking missing-nin?

But…

Given that he _had _chosen to remain at the green-haired kunoichi's side at the end…counts for _something_…right?

"Although I must admit…" Sakura added with an uncharacteristic bit of sarcasm "…it's not _everyday_ I see an S-rank criminal get down on his knees and-"

He struck a pressure point on her back, and she blacked out before she even saw him move from his spot.

…_Jerk._

* * *

_Epilogue_

* * *

It had already been months since then.

Her image had burned into his mind.

It didn't take the support of his Sharingan to have done that.

Only did he think about it did he realize that he hadn't seen her true, artless smile for a long time. A very long time.

Maybe their separation had been for the best.

…So then why…

"Then, I'll leave this to you."

He watched her silently. This figure of a woman who slipped a sealed envelope to her servant. It bore the emblem of war.

She nodded covertly, waiting till her messenger had made his retreat before turning to slide the screen to her quarters open.

Only after she had slid the screen closed behind her did she sense the presence of the long-haired man in the room.

"Who's there?" she asked readily, gazing calmly into the dark.

The same pretty eyes. The same soft facial features.

But she was not the same girl.

…And yet…

Her eyes found him, perching in a relaxed manner, one leg dangling off the desk she used for paperwork.

One singular expression registered on her face.

'_How did you even get in here?'_ it read.

He can get in anywhere. Her private quarters were no exception.

"…What do you want?" she poised a wary question.

…

He peered at her through his lashes.

"_You…"_

She returned his scrutiny with a blank stare.

He had spoken that word softly, but he had no doubt that she had heard or had at least felt it.

A soft rap on the screen behind her interrupted.

"Loricha-sama, the letters you requested."

"Thank you. Leave it there."

She turned back, meeting his red eyes.

"Why are you here?" she tried again.

'_After leaving me here, unconscious and unknowing what happened,_' was her unspoken accusation.

Her crystalline pink eyes said it. _'I thought you were dead.'_

"…I heard you have received a marriage proposal," Itachi said instead.

…

"A treaty," she replied indifferently. "…It's not easy for a single clan to resist war. There's been assassins lately." A small hesitation. "Speaking of which…you-…?"

He rose. Her pink eyes flickered to either side, but she stood her ground as he went to her.

It had been so long since he had been so close to her, even if he had to watch her from afar to prevent her from falling into Uchiha Madara's wiles. Part of the cunning man's plan to keep him preoccupied, of course.

Itachi laid one arm against the wall next to her head. She was right…she was right…

"I…to you…" he whispered to her softly "…what is my existence…?"

"…Don't even think about it," she told him, laying her hand on his wrist. But she did nothing else to prevent him as he trailed his fingers up from the hem of her top garment, lifting it up.

All her injuries had healed without trace, with the exception of that wound. He stared at it, the place not far below her breasts, running his hand over the scar.

It was the proof that she had been willing to lay down her life, no, not just her life – _everything_, for him. Even if she'd never admit it.

Itachi looked up and met her eyes. She was no longer the girl who flinched whenever he looked at her with the same silent intent. No longer the girl whom he could control so easily just by his touch.

It made him feel…at a loss. Something he had no desire to come to terms with

"Then…" He withdrew, letting his eyes close as he turned from her. "…I will make my leave."

No longer the same girl, but a fine woman. A proper, respected leader of her clan. He, banned from both halves of the shinobi world, unable to present his existence. No longer able to come and go about anywhere with ease. There was nothing he could offer her.

…

"Wait."

Her quiet voice had halted him quite easily.

"That's…all you came here to say?"

…

Itachi did not turn around.

The words he won't say.

The words she can't say.

They echoed in the distance between them.

…

"You're…not even going to ask if I accepted that proposal?"

…

"I see…I see… If you're not going to say anything…"

A bit…just a bit…her neutral tone had cracked just a bit.

She…still brings out the worst in him.

Her pink eyes blinked as he appeared before her, tilting his head and leaning in to place a kiss on her mouth, no more than a mere brush of his lips.

It probably affected him more than it did her.

"…_That…"_ Itachi breathed out softly against her lips _"…will that do?"_

He pulled back slightly, to judge her reaction.

She was staring back at him, eyes reflecting her disbelief. He expected for her to draw away, to push him back, to frown or to shake her head incredulously.

"…Say it again," she told him blankly.

He held her unflinching gaze with his crimson eyes.

…

Itachi leaned in slowly, tracing the crevasse of her lips with his tongue before locking his mouth onto hers.

He kissed her deeply, slipping an arm around her shoulders, another around her waist, to support her weight as she yielded to him.

The way she melted against him was going to be his undoing.

He didn't like it. Didn't like such strange sensations. Didn't like feeling so weak when it came to her.

…But he didn't want to give her to anyone else. Not anyone.

She gave a soft intake of breath as he broke their kiss.

"…I came to take you away, Voreka-kun…" Itachi murmured lightly, sliding his hand under her shirt to rest against her warm skin. "Come with me."

She was resisting. A part of her may have already decided not to trust him again.

"I can't."

That caused him to pause, admittedly. He couldn't blame her. It would've been his own doing if she will never open up to him again.

But if there was one entirely selfish thing he wanted to do in this life…

Itachi slid his hand higher on her back, pressing her against him. He could feel her racing heartbeat.

"Tell me that again…" he said coolly next to her ear.

…

"My work here is not done," she explained finally.

He closed his eyes. A faint smile.

"I won't take 'no' as an answer," Itachi told her as a light warning.

She pursed her lips into a tight line. He could tell from that look in her eyes that she was calculating her possible escape routes.

Her arm moved. His red eyes thinned slightly in warning.

"You realize if I even raise my voice-"

"I will kill them all," Itachi interrupted stoically, dangerously.

…

"…It comes down to using threats, huh…"

He softened a little, reaching up to her hair. She had grown it out a bit.

"…What will you have me do…" Itachi finally asked, in his smooth, seductive voice. He felt breathless, saying this, admitting something like this.

"…_If you want me to get down on my knees and beg…"_ he whispered to her _"…I will do that, too…"_

Judging by the long delay it took for the stunned look to show on her face, it didn't seem like she believed him.

"Why…?"

He gazed steadily at her.

…Did she still not understand?

She was simply going to continue keeping herself in denial until he finally says it outright?

"…'Why', you ask?" He felt a small smirk form as he traced the bottom curve of her lips with his fingers.

"…_Because I will take you with me…whatever it takes…"_ Itachi promised.

…

She closed her eyes, pulling free from his hold.

"There's just one thing I want to hear you say," she told him solemnly.

This sensation. This noticeable quickening of his pulse. He felt it despite himself.

"_Anything," _Itachi replied quietly, carefully.

…

"Correct me if I remember wrong, but did you happen to _stab_ me with a, what, _sword _the last time we met?"

…He shut his eyes briefly, feeling a frown start to develop on his brow.

No, it appears that…she still had not changed very much at all.

It looks like he might have to use force, after all.

"You…" she took a fistful of his sleeve, mirroring his irritated expression "…you _did_, didn't you!?"

* * *

_Fin._

* * *

_**Afterword**_

_**Edit:** This needs major revision someday. I've made a lot of wrong predictions along the way and I have never looked back once on what I wrote. After my 5 month hiatus at chapter 18 I came back and couldn't even remember what I wrote in the first 18 chapters haha. _

_Here are some confessions:_

_I regret making Itachi that obvious in the early chapters - this was when some of us believed he's not truly evil but didn't think that it'd actually get revealed like that in the canon storyline. _

_There are no black widow spiders in wherever they were? - admittedly that was just for convenience; pretend it's a poisonous spider._

_I thought Deidara would possess a feminine voice - I fell off my chair when I first heard him in Naruto Shippuuden japanese. But oh man...that voice is sexy..._

_There is actually a female member in Akatsuki - and yeah...I didn't go back to change that. _

_Wind element and Lightning element are actually separate - oops...I was too careless last chapter_

_I forgot to add a disclaimer anywhere - **DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR ELSE SASUKE WILL DIE WILLINGLY BY NARUTO'S HAND AFTER SAKURA IS ACCIDENTALLY KILLED BY INTERVENING WITH THEIR FINAL BATTLE**_

Cough...with that being said... I think I will do a sequel after all, to clarify some things. I'm pretty sure by the number of extra hits on chapter 31 that some people are having trouble figuring out why Itachi didn't die in the end.


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